The emerging 'Eurabia' - The Washington Times: Editorials/OP-ED - February 18, 2005
The emerging 'Eurabia'
By Diana West
It was just a coincidence that 'Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Axis' appeared in the mail the same day a New York Times article on the subject of Eurabia landed on the doorstep. 'Eurabia,' the long-awaited book by Bat Ye'or, is a comprehensive, even overwhelming and absolutely shocking explication of how and why it is that Europe is transforming itself into what the Egyptian-born historian calls 'a new geopolitical entity ' Eurabia.' The New York Times article, on the other hand, a muddled analysis by Craig S. Smith about the 'fear of Islamists' and the 'far right' in Belgium, is one more illustration of how desperately Bat Ye'or's trail-blazing work is needed.
Few of us have the long-view vision to make sense of the sweep of history as it smokes past our eyes; Bat Ye'or, as a historian of Islam, and, in particular, the dhimmi (the non-Muslim peoples who live as second-class citizens under Islamic rule), has precisely the laser-lens required. She also has the fortitude of the historian/gumshoe to wade through the stacks of articles, memoranda and conference declarations generated by something called the Euro-Arab Dialogue (EAD).
Created 30-odd years ago at the instigation of France and the Arab League, the practically unknown EAD has provided structural and theoretical underpinnings to a Euro-Arab axis ' Eurabia. These have fostered the political, economic and cultural bonds between Europe and the Arab world that Bat Ye'or maintains were designed to create 'a global alternative to American power.'
How? Very basically ' and this is detailed in the book ' by shepherding a meeting of Euro-Arab minds, first and foremost, on the Arab League war on Israel. This would come about in exchange for freely flowing Arab oil into Europe, which would come about in exchange for freely flowing Muslim immigration into Europe, ...
The emerging 'Eurabia' - The Washington Times: Editorials/OP-ED - February 18, 2005
Friday, February 18, 2005
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Encounter with Islam
Encounter with Islam
Encounter with Islam
The nexus has given rise to incidents of terrorism, complications in integrating the European Union and a rethinking of foreign policy.
By Diane Wolff
Special to the Orlando Sentinel
February 13, 2005
The Europeans have discovered they, too, have a terrorism problem, which is exacerbated by demographics and geography.
Europe is having a new encounter with Islam, in domestic politics and foreign affairs. However, it's not the first; the two have had 13 centuries of ups and downs.
The new European-Islamic nexus has given rise to incidents of terrorism, a shift of some traditional European political parties to the right, complications in integrating the European Union and a re-thinking of foreign policy.
Immediately after Sept. 11, 2001, Europe stood shoulder to shoulder with America.
Time and political differences, including but not limited to disagreement about the war in Iraq, have led to frosty relations between Washington and much of Europe.
The realization is dawning on the members of the European Union that their initial notion that terrorism was only America's problem is wrong. In fact, there now may be more reason for concern in Paris than Philadelphia, Amsterdam than Albany and Bonn than Boston.
Timothy Savage, division chief of the Office of European Analysis at the U.S. State Department, explains the situation well.
'The Islamic challenge that Europe faces today is twofold. Internally, Europe must integrate a ghettoized but rapidly growing Muslim minority that many Europeans view as encroaching on the collective identity and public values of European society. Externally, Europe needs to devise a viable approach to the primarily Muslim-populated volatile states stretching from Casablanca to the Caucasus,' he wrote last summer.
After Sept. 11, the thinking on the Continent was that Europeans were tolerant and progressive and Americans were unenlightened. We went after the radicals. They opened their arms to their Mediterranean neighbors. They concluded that we were wrong and they were right.
Europe's attitude changed with the Madrid train bombings March 11 that killed 191 people. It was a devastating wake-up call for Europe, a different kind of terrorism than the homegrown Irish Republican Army or Basque separatist movement.
It is beginning to dawn on the Continent that things could get much worse. In preparation for President Bush's visit later this month, security police have been rounding up terror suspects by means the American Civil Liberties Union would take to court.
French law permits detention for three years of people suspected of terror. Britain has proposed placing electronic-surveillance monitors on suspected terrorists to keep track of their whereabouts. This is Britain's way of avoiding the U.S. practice of detention.
Below the surface, there are less immediate, but much more serious, concerns.
More than 23 million Muslims live in Europe, 5 percent of the population. If Turkey joins the European Union, that figure will increase to 90 million, or 15 percent of the total. As EU citizens, they could reside anywhere in Europe, work and cross borders without passports.
This comes as many EU nations have decided that to balance America's status as the lone superpower, they want to carve out their own foreign and security policies. This has led to disputes with Washington about Iraq, how to deal with the emerging possibility of a nuclear threat in Iran, the Kyoto Treaty on global warming and myriad other issues.
But, when it comes to the war on terror, the EU attitude may have more to do with Europe's growing Muslim minorities than with the United States.
In the quarter-century before George W. Bush became president, many European nations increasing found themselves at odds with the U.S. policy on the Middle East, especially in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. The EU tilt toward the Palestinians in that confrontation and a generally more sympathetic view of Arab causes is at least partially a result of immigration from Europe's former colonies.
Efforts to assimilate the newcomers, the vast majority of whom are Muslim, into European life has been aimed at building interfaith societies. Yet, there is a segment of the immigrants who are resistant to the secular nature of 21st-century Europe.
They think that once Islam has conquered a territory, as it conquered Spain, Portugal, Italy and parts of France in the Middle Ages, it will remain Muslim.
Europe has done a poor job of integrating its Muslim immigrants. The Madrid bombings, numerous examples of street violence and recruitment efforts by al-Qaeda on the Continent suggest that militant Islam has become a problem.
More
Encounter with Islam
The nexus has given rise to incidents of terrorism, complications in integrating the European Union and a rethinking of foreign policy.
By Diane Wolff
Special to the Orlando Sentinel
February 13, 2005
The Europeans have discovered they, too, have a terrorism problem, which is exacerbated by demographics and geography.
Europe is having a new encounter with Islam, in domestic politics and foreign affairs. However, it's not the first; the two have had 13 centuries of ups and downs.
The new European-Islamic nexus has given rise to incidents of terrorism, a shift of some traditional European political parties to the right, complications in integrating the European Union and a re-thinking of foreign policy.
Immediately after Sept. 11, 2001, Europe stood shoulder to shoulder with America.
Time and political differences, including but not limited to disagreement about the war in Iraq, have led to frosty relations between Washington and much of Europe.
The realization is dawning on the members of the European Union that their initial notion that terrorism was only America's problem is wrong. In fact, there now may be more reason for concern in Paris than Philadelphia, Amsterdam than Albany and Bonn than Boston.
Timothy Savage, division chief of the Office of European Analysis at the U.S. State Department, explains the situation well.
'The Islamic challenge that Europe faces today is twofold. Internally, Europe must integrate a ghettoized but rapidly growing Muslim minority that many Europeans view as encroaching on the collective identity and public values of European society. Externally, Europe needs to devise a viable approach to the primarily Muslim-populated volatile states stretching from Casablanca to the Caucasus,' he wrote last summer.
After Sept. 11, the thinking on the Continent was that Europeans were tolerant and progressive and Americans were unenlightened. We went after the radicals. They opened their arms to their Mediterranean neighbors. They concluded that we were wrong and they were right.
Europe's attitude changed with the Madrid train bombings March 11 that killed 191 people. It was a devastating wake-up call for Europe, a different kind of terrorism than the homegrown Irish Republican Army or Basque separatist movement.
It is beginning to dawn on the Continent that things could get much worse. In preparation for President Bush's visit later this month, security police have been rounding up terror suspects by means the American Civil Liberties Union would take to court.
French law permits detention for three years of people suspected of terror. Britain has proposed placing electronic-surveillance monitors on suspected terrorists to keep track of their whereabouts. This is Britain's way of avoiding the U.S. practice of detention.
Below the surface, there are less immediate, but much more serious, concerns.
More than 23 million Muslims live in Europe, 5 percent of the population. If Turkey joins the European Union, that figure will increase to 90 million, or 15 percent of the total. As EU citizens, they could reside anywhere in Europe, work and cross borders without passports.
This comes as many EU nations have decided that to balance America's status as the lone superpower, they want to carve out their own foreign and security policies. This has led to disputes with Washington about Iraq, how to deal with the emerging possibility of a nuclear threat in Iran, the Kyoto Treaty on global warming and myriad other issues.
But, when it comes to the war on terror, the EU attitude may have more to do with Europe's growing Muslim minorities than with the United States.
In the quarter-century before George W. Bush became president, many European nations increasing found themselves at odds with the U.S. policy on the Middle East, especially in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. The EU tilt toward the Palestinians in that confrontation and a generally more sympathetic view of Arab causes is at least partially a result of immigration from Europe's former colonies.
Efforts to assimilate the newcomers, the vast majority of whom are Muslim, into European life has been aimed at building interfaith societies. Yet, there is a segment of the immigrants who are resistant to the secular nature of 21st-century Europe.
They think that once Islam has conquered a territory, as it conquered Spain, Portugal, Italy and parts of France in the Middle Ages, it will remain Muslim.
Europe has done a poor job of integrating its Muslim immigrants. The Madrid bombings, numerous examples of street violence and recruitment efforts by al-Qaeda on the Continent suggest that militant Islam has become a problem.
More
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Spain starts illegal immigration amnesty
Spain starts illegal immigration amnesty
Spain starts illegal immigration amnesty
07.02.2005 - 18:10 CET
By Honor Mahony
EUOBSERVER/BRUSSELS - Madrid's decision to grant an amnesty to illegal immigrants living and working in the country is set to have consequences well beyond Spain.
The amnesty, which is likely to affect up to one million immigrants, began on Monday (7 February).
Over the coming three months, Madrid will accept applications from immigrants who can prove that they have been in Spain for at least six months and who have a job.
The government's aim is to get some control over the country's illegal immigration problem.
But Madrid's move could have consequences for the rest of Europe as granting Spanish residency to the immigrants means that they would have the right to live and work anywhere in the European Union.
Its decision has caused anger in some other capitals.
'Those affected can simply travel further to France or Germany', said German interior minister Otto Schily.
'We should have first examined what consequences this initiative would have for the rest of Europe', he added.
He was backed up by Dutch immigration minister Rita Verdonk.
The European Commission, which is pushing for common rules in this area, said Spain was within its rights to introduce these measures.
More
Spain starts illegal immigration amnesty
07.02.2005 - 18:10 CET
By Honor Mahony
EUOBSERVER/BRUSSELS - Madrid's decision to grant an amnesty to illegal immigrants living and working in the country is set to have consequences well beyond Spain.
The amnesty, which is likely to affect up to one million immigrants, began on Monday (7 February).
Over the coming three months, Madrid will accept applications from immigrants who can prove that they have been in Spain for at least six months and who have a job.
The government's aim is to get some control over the country's illegal immigration problem.
But Madrid's move could have consequences for the rest of Europe as granting Spanish residency to the immigrants means that they would have the right to live and work anywhere in the European Union.
Its decision has caused anger in some other capitals.
'Those affected can simply travel further to France or Germany', said German interior minister Otto Schily.
'We should have first examined what consequences this initiative would have for the rest of Europe', he added.
He was backed up by Dutch immigration minister Rita Verdonk.
The European Commission, which is pushing for common rules in this area, said Spain was within its rights to introduce these measures.
More
Monday, February 07, 2005
European Cinema Exposes Anti-Muslim Practices
European Cinema Exposes Anti-Muslim Practices
European Cinema Exposes Anti-Muslim Practices
Yasmin wears her hijab in the house and takes it off while with workmates.
By Khaled Shawkat, IOL Correspondent
ROTTERDAM, February 7 (IslamOnline.net) – Two European films shown at the 34th Rotterdam international film festival caused quite a stir among cinema critics and the audience.
Reason? Presenting anti-western attacks by extremists as a retaliation for the mounting hate and persecution campaigns targeting Muslims in the West in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
An Arab film critic hailed the two movies as “a way more effective than bullets to expose the unjust practices” perpetrated by some Western governments against their Muslim communities.
Scottish movie “Yasmin”, directed by Kenny Glenaan, blamed the “racism” of British authorities in dealing with Muslims after the 9/11 attacks as the main reason for many young British Muslims joining Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups.
“Private”, an Italian film directed by Saverio Costanzo, featured the detentions and killing of children and women, in addition to other repressive practices by the Israeli occupation army against the Palestinians, as the main driving force behind Palestinian attacks.
Identity Crisis
The events of “Yasmin” take place in a Scottish city, centering around the life of a Muslim family -- of a Pakistani origin – whose widower head owns a store for fixing TV and radio sets, while posing as a mosque imam at the same time.
The father lives with his son “Nasser”, while his daughter “Yasmin” lives at another house in the same street with her husband, who is also a relative of the family.
The film depicts both Nasser and Yasmin as an example of the second Muslim generation in the West, living a deep identity crisis and torn apart between two contradicting principles.
The first is an Islamic one, represented in a pious father, the second is represented in the culture and habits of Western society that seems to give little consideration to the rules of religious ethics.
That crisis was clearly reflected in the duplicate behavior of both Nasser and Yasmin, with the latter appearing in her hijab and living a traditional conservative Muslim life among her family, while taking off her hijab and following Western traditions among her workmates.
The film highlights how the violent attitude of British security and judicial authorities, coupled with the racist anti-Muslim tendency that gripped British society after 9/11 have haunted Nasser and Yasmin.
They are left with the impression that the country where they were born and grew up (Scotland) still views them as Muslim migrants, posing a risk to its security and stability.
The film ends with Yasmin going to the mosque to pray, while Nasser migrates to Afghanistan to join a militant group, stressing his next destination would be occupied Palestine.
More
[ The march toward dhimmitude continues ]
European Cinema Exposes Anti-Muslim Practices
Yasmin wears her hijab in the house and takes it off while with workmates.
By Khaled Shawkat, IOL Correspondent
ROTTERDAM, February 7 (IslamOnline.net) – Two European films shown at the 34th Rotterdam international film festival caused quite a stir among cinema critics and the audience.
Reason? Presenting anti-western attacks by extremists as a retaliation for the mounting hate and persecution campaigns targeting Muslims in the West in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
An Arab film critic hailed the two movies as “a way more effective than bullets to expose the unjust practices” perpetrated by some Western governments against their Muslim communities.
Scottish movie “Yasmin”, directed by Kenny Glenaan, blamed the “racism” of British authorities in dealing with Muslims after the 9/11 attacks as the main reason for many young British Muslims joining Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups.
“Private”, an Italian film directed by Saverio Costanzo, featured the detentions and killing of children and women, in addition to other repressive practices by the Israeli occupation army against the Palestinians, as the main driving force behind Palestinian attacks.
Identity Crisis
The events of “Yasmin” take place in a Scottish city, centering around the life of a Muslim family -- of a Pakistani origin – whose widower head owns a store for fixing TV and radio sets, while posing as a mosque imam at the same time.
The father lives with his son “Nasser”, while his daughter “Yasmin” lives at another house in the same street with her husband, who is also a relative of the family.
The film depicts both Nasser and Yasmin as an example of the second Muslim generation in the West, living a deep identity crisis and torn apart between two contradicting principles.
The first is an Islamic one, represented in a pious father, the second is represented in the culture and habits of Western society that seems to give little consideration to the rules of religious ethics.
That crisis was clearly reflected in the duplicate behavior of both Nasser and Yasmin, with the latter appearing in her hijab and living a traditional conservative Muslim life among her family, while taking off her hijab and following Western traditions among her workmates.
The film highlights how the violent attitude of British security and judicial authorities, coupled with the racist anti-Muslim tendency that gripped British society after 9/11 have haunted Nasser and Yasmin.
They are left with the impression that the country where they were born and grew up (Scotland) still views them as Muslim migrants, posing a risk to its security and stability.
The film ends with Yasmin going to the mosque to pray, while Nasser migrates to Afghanistan to join a militant group, stressing his next destination would be occupied Palestine.
More
[ The march toward dhimmitude continues ]
Saturday, February 05, 2005
lgf: More Dhimmitude by the Dutch
lgf: Iran is Laughing at the West
OT - More Dhimmitude by the Dutch -
link from the Netherlands, in Dutch, described as -
In the Netherlands the national flag is now banned on most schools. If a student wears the national flag of his own country he will be suspended or expelled from school. The reason for this is that this provokes the immigrants (the muslims) and therefore it is considered discrimination if you wear your country's flag in your own country. Even people who have an bumpersticker whit the flag on their car are harassed and called a facist by the Muslims. Most schools also ban certain clothing like the Lonsdale brand and combat boots with white or red laces. This is also concidered a sign of racism.
There are of course no restrictions for the immigrants on clothing. "
[ I have no way to verify this personally as I don't speak Dutch. Here's the link to the original: http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/17755231/Vlagverbod_is_wijdverspreid.html so take this with a dose of skepticism ]
OT - More Dhimmitude by the Dutch -
link from the Netherlands, in Dutch, described as -
In the Netherlands the national flag is now banned on most schools. If a student wears the national flag of his own country he will be suspended or expelled from school. The reason for this is that this provokes the immigrants (the muslims) and therefore it is considered discrimination if you wear your country's flag in your own country. Even people who have an bumpersticker whit the flag on their car are harassed and called a facist by the Muslims. Most schools also ban certain clothing like the Lonsdale brand and combat boots with white or red laces. This is also concidered a sign of racism.
There are of course no restrictions for the immigrants on clothing. "
[ I have no way to verify this personally as I don't speak Dutch. Here's the link to the original: http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/17755231/Vlagverbod_is_wijdverspreid.html so take this with a dose of skepticism ]
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
The New York Times: Militant Imams Under Scrutiny Across Europe
Militant Imams Under Scrutiny Across Europe
By DON VAN NATTA Jr.
and LOWELL BERGMAN
Published: January 25, 2005
LONDON, Jan. 24 - In nightly sermons broadcast on the Internet, Sheik Omar Bakri Muhammad, a 46-year-old Syrian-born cleric, has urged young Muslim men all over the world to support the Iraq insurgency on the front line of "the global jihad," investigators say.
He struck a similarly defiant tone this month at a rally attended by 500 people at a central London meeting hall, where a giant screen behind him showed images of the World Trade Center falling. "Allah akbar!" - "God is great" - some audience members shouted at the images.
After eavesdropping for months on his nightly praise of the Sept. 11 hijackers and of suicide bombings, Scotland Yard said last week that it was investigating Sheik Omar, the leader of Al Muhajiroun, Britain's largest Muslim group, and officials are exploring whether they can deport him. "We're fed up with him," said a senior British official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "He needs to be stopped, or he needs to go."
The more aggressive approach toward Sheik Omar is part of an increasing effort to monitor and restrict militant imams in Britain and across Europe. Authorities have stepped up surveillance of militant mosques in several countries, including Germany and France. French officials deported an imam this month after officials said he was inspiring men to join the jihad.
One major concern, officials say, is that more heated religious rhetoric is encouraging young men to leave home to fight in Iraq.
Although the dimensions of the recruitment effort from Europe to Iraq are not clear, there are indications that it is intensifying.
On Sunday, the German police arrested a man suspected of being a member of Al Qaeda and charged him with recruiting men to carry out suicide bombings in Iraq. These arrests were part of an ongoing investigation in cooperation with the United States of recruitment and other terrorist activities in Europe. A senior German official said he was certain there would be additional arrests of militants inside the country who have set up sophisticated recruitment and smuggling networks that lead to Iraq.
Italian investigators say several recruits from Italy carried out bombing attacks in Baghdad. Swiss officials say they are concerned that several militant clerics have openly urged men to become terrorists. And in Jordan, senior officials say they have recently arrested several dozen men who intended to cross the Iraqi border to serve as foreign fighters.
Bohre Eddine Benvahia, the 33-year-old imam recently deported by France to Algeria, had urged young men in a working-class neighborhood of L'Ariane, outside Nice, to join jihad, French intelligence officials said.
More
By DON VAN NATTA Jr.
and LOWELL BERGMAN
Published: January 25, 2005
LONDON, Jan. 24 - In nightly sermons broadcast on the Internet, Sheik Omar Bakri Muhammad, a 46-year-old Syrian-born cleric, has urged young Muslim men all over the world to support the Iraq insurgency on the front line of "the global jihad," investigators say.
He struck a similarly defiant tone this month at a rally attended by 500 people at a central London meeting hall, where a giant screen behind him showed images of the World Trade Center falling. "Allah akbar!" - "God is great" - some audience members shouted at the images.
After eavesdropping for months on his nightly praise of the Sept. 11 hijackers and of suicide bombings, Scotland Yard said last week that it was investigating Sheik Omar, the leader of Al Muhajiroun, Britain's largest Muslim group, and officials are exploring whether they can deport him. "We're fed up with him," said a senior British official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "He needs to be stopped, or he needs to go."
The more aggressive approach toward Sheik Omar is part of an increasing effort to monitor and restrict militant imams in Britain and across Europe. Authorities have stepped up surveillance of militant mosques in several countries, including Germany and France. French officials deported an imam this month after officials said he was inspiring men to join the jihad.
One major concern, officials say, is that more heated religious rhetoric is encouraging young men to leave home to fight in Iraq.
Although the dimensions of the recruitment effort from Europe to Iraq are not clear, there are indications that it is intensifying.
On Sunday, the German police arrested a man suspected of being a member of Al Qaeda and charged him with recruiting men to carry out suicide bombings in Iraq. These arrests were part of an ongoing investigation in cooperation with the United States of recruitment and other terrorist activities in Europe. A senior German official said he was certain there would be additional arrests of militants inside the country who have set up sophisticated recruitment and smuggling networks that lead to Iraq.
Italian investigators say several recruits from Italy carried out bombing attacks in Baghdad. Swiss officials say they are concerned that several militant clerics have openly urged men to become terrorists. And in Jordan, senior officials say they have recently arrested several dozen men who intended to cross the Iraqi border to serve as foreign fighters.
Bohre Eddine Benvahia, the 33-year-old imam recently deported by France to Algeria, had urged young men in a working-class neighborhood of L'Ariane, outside Nice, to join jihad, French intelligence officials said.
More
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