Report: Muslim Brotherhood Behind Gaza Flotilla

This is not shocking news but it does appear to include strong supporting evidence. We already know that former PLO operative and Obama friend Rashid Khalidi is partially behind one of the Gaza flotilla ships - the 'Audacity of Hope' - but it now looks like the flotilla is being coordinated with the direct help of the Muslim Brotherhood itself. This news would effectively tie Barack Obama to a man in Khalidi, who is collaborating with the Muslim Brotherhood. The friendship between the two men goes back a long way.

Via JCPA, h/t GMBDR:

The second flotilla is coordinated by Muhammad Sawalha, a senior UK-based Muslim Brotherhood figure connected to Hamas. Many of the participating organizations can be directly linked with the Union of Good (UoG), a coalition of European charities affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, which in 2008 was designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Treasury for transferring funds to Hamas. The UoG was initiated by Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood on a global scale, shortly after the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000.

For the Brotherhood, two chief centers of organization can be clearly seen. On the European and global scene, the centrality of its UK-based activists is once again demonstrated, while in the Middle East, its Jordanian branch is noticeable.

Other main organizers include the anti-Israel International Solidarity Movement (ISM), as well as far-left socialists from Europe and the United States. Many of the flotilla's main organizers have stated that its prime aim is to create provocations and harm Israel's image.

Following Israel's Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, which ended in January 2009, a series of international conferences was held in Turkey to restructure the struggle against Israel. A conference in February 2009 featured 200 radical Islamist scholars who came to meet with senior Hamas officials to plot a new, "third jihadi front" (in addition to Pakistan and Iraq) centered on Gaza. The conference gave birth to the infamous, pro-Hamas Istanbul Declaration, which also provided justification for attacking foreign navies which might try to prevent arms smuggling to Gaza.

In general, the same organizers stand behind the second flotilla, with several changes. The most important may be the IHH decision not to send the Mavi Marmara, the ship which brought the first flotilla its publicity following violent clashes between IHH activists and the IDF in which nine Turks were killed. Rather than take a leading role, it appears that the IHH will settle this time for sending activists to sail on other ships.

Thus, the flotilla is far from being a peaceful, humanitarian effort to support the Palestinians in Gaza. It should instead be seen as a major, pro-Hamas effort to delegitimize Israel by a "red-green alliance" of leftists and Islamists.

In light of the fact that the Obama administration is on board with the 'Arab Spring,' which is code for the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, this is not insignificant at all.

Read it all.

Florida Sheriffs Challenged to Arrest TSA Agents

At one level, this is not likely to go very far but on another level, state and local police officers are being called out. A libertarian group in Florida has sent a letter to the Sheriffs in each of that state's 67 counties. That letter includes the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution as well as the relevant portion of the Florida State Constitution when it comes to illegal searches and seizures. The interesting thing here is that there really is no disputing the fact that the TSA is violating the Fourth Amendment. It will be interesting to see if any of these Sheriffs act on the letters they are receiving.

Via WND:

The issue of invasive physical pat-downs by federal Transportation Security Administration agents at airports across the nation isn't going away anytime soon, with word that the Libertarian Party of Florida formally is demanding that sheriffs in the state's 67 counties arrest TSA agents for sexual battery.

The enhanced pat-down procedures – or the optional full body scans that essentially create a nude image of passengers – were imposed on travelers across America in recent months, prompting a wide range of reactions.

Just last week a state law proposed in Texas that would have created charges against federal agents who impose those physical pat-downs – described by critics and "groping" – failed at the end of a special legislation session when representatives couldn't assemble an enhanced quorum required during the special meetings of the lawmakers.

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (RINO) is the individual most responsible for Texas not passing its version of the anti-groping Bill. In essence, he did exactly what any Sheriff in Florida who ignores this letter will have done. As for what the letter to the Florida Sheriffs said:

"As sheriff, you have the absolute duty to enforce the law uniformly and without prejudice. You are, at best, engaged in selective enforcement by choosing to further ignore these flagrant violations of federal and state law. At worst, you are complicit," a message to the 67 sheriffs from the party, signed by chairman Adrian Wyllie, said.

"If you have TSA agents within your county that are violating the law, then you must act. Warn the TSA agents that they are subject to arrest if they continue to violate the law. Should they continue, then you must begin making arrests," the letter said. "We urge you to remember the oath you took to support, protect and defend the Constitution of both the state of Florida and the United States of America. On behalf of all Floridians, the Libertarian Party of Florida calls on you to do exactly that.

"We turn to you, our constitutional sheriffs, to enforce the law in accordance with your sworn duty," the letter said.

These sheriffs are being called out; it will be interesting to see if any of them will stand up for those they're charged with serving and protecting and against federal oppression.

Read it all.

Democrat Congressman's Answer to Project Gunrunner Scandal: Give the ATF More Power

Should the ATF continue to exist? It's an excellent question but what makes this one newsworthy is that the New York Times is asking it. In the wake of the Project Gunrunner / Operation Fast and Furious scandal, ATF acting Director Kenneth Melson is expected to tell the House Oversight Committee what he knows; when he does, this entire scandal could blow wide open. Some of the absurd narratives from the left have been taking shape over recent weeks to counter Chairman Darrell Issa's attempts to get to find out who authorized the program at the highest levels.

For example, take the position of ranking member of the Oversight Committee, Elijah Cummings (D-MD), who thinks the answer to the problems at the ATF is to give the agency more power:

“There are those in Congress and outside of Congress that would like for the A.T.F. to just go away, but I’m not one of them,” said Representative Elijah E. Cummings, a Maryland Democrat who, just back from a fact-finding trip to Mexico, plans to introduce legislation this week to strengthen the bureau’s powers. “They catch hell inside and out.”

Pure insanity. To illustrate, this would be like throwing the baby out and keeping the bath water.

One thing that has become obvious is that there are some excellent agents at ATF but it's the leadership that is corrupt. Cummings is advocating giving that leadership more power while it's under investigation for implementing a policy that got people killed. It is worth noting that none other than the New York Times puts the viability of the ATF itself, on the table:

The fracas over the operation, called Fast and Furious, could cost another A.T.F. official — Kenneth E. Melson, the acting director — his job. But it has also renewed long-simmering questions about whether the bureau — hobbled by the volatile gun politics of Washington, a lack of permanent leadership and its own missteps — should even continue to exist.

Among the more insane narratives to come from the left in defense of the administration / ATF relative to Project Gunrunner is that Melson is only an 'Acting Director' and that the program wouldn't have gone off the rails if the agency had a permanent Director.

Ironically, Cummings is quoted as saying his position is not partisan:

Representative Cummings, who concedes that the bureau made mistakes, wants to strengthen the agency, though his bill is unlikely to pass. And he would like to see it have a leader.

“All this is about life and death,” he said. “This is serious stuff. At some point we have to leave our political hats at the door.”

In reality, the very position Cummings is taking could not be anymore partisan. Despite the mounting evidence that the ATF leadership is responsible for the Fast and Furious program, Cummings wants to give the agency more power. Such a position is hyper-partisan.

Read it all.