Posted originally by the CTH on October 16, 2023 | Sundance
Everything, and I do mean e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g, that comes from the mouth of Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson Abu Obaida, should be viewed through the prism of extremist propaganda. Hamas is doing and saying everything possible to manipulate media and create pressure on Israel in advance of the ground invasion.
That said, Abu Obaida is claiming that “at least” 250 hostages were taken during the terrorist attack on October 7th, yet some of the hostages were not taken by official Hamas groups, but by other members of the Palestinian resistance who crossed the border behind Hamas to retrieve hostages “for their own purposes.”
The number of non-Hamas hostages is claimed to be around 50, possibly more, and they were likely abducted for pathological purposes, ie. torture for fun and Palestinian enjoyment, community abuse to be recorded for celebratory purposes, public rape and sex slavery, along with other forms of horrific human degradation. [If any of these people are factually still alive, they would likely be better off dead.]
Abu Obaida is claiming that Hamas officially has 200 hostages, and “some” of them are foreign nationals. They are willing to release the “foreign nationals” unconditionally when passage is safe. This “foreign nationals” part of the claim appears intended to target the international community of public opinion – to put pressure on Israel to back off.
Richard Engel (MSNBC) has a video report here. Although, I would caution you to review this narrative with extreme cynicism. Time Magazine has also reviewed the Abu Obaida video statement, and their review/analysis is below:
(GAZA – Newsweek) – The spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing has announced that the group is prepared to release non-Israeli prisoners among at least 200 people in custody once their safety could be guaranteed amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes against the Gaza Strip.
Speaking in a 10-minute video published Monday, Al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson Abu Obaida said that, while he could not provide an exact count of the number of people seized in the shocking Palestinian air, land and sea assault conducted on October 7, he estimated the total figure to be “between 200 and 250, or exceeding that.”
“The Al-Qassam Brigades has about 200 prisoners and the rest are distributed among other components of the resistance or in places in which we cannot count them,” Abu Obaida said.
He stated that 22 prisoners have been killed so far in Israeli airstrikes, but that the group was treating all those taken fairly.
“We deal with prisoners according to the dictates of the teachings of our religion,” Abu Obaida said. “Their care is required by moral and humanitarian duty. They eat what we eat, they drink what we drink, and they live under the same conditions as all the people in Gaza.”
He said that among the captives were those of “different nationalities” that could not be verified in full as a result of the ongoing wartime conditions.
“They are our guests we seek to protect them and the moment the conditions on the ground allow we will release them,” Abu Obaida said. (read more)
“Why Hamas stores its weapons inside hospitals, mosques and schools” was published by the Washington Post in 2014. “The many mosques in the Gaza Strip serve not only religious functions, but are also put to military use by Hamas and other terrorist organizations,” the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center said at the time. “They are used to hide terrorist operatives, store weapons, as sites from which rockets and mortar shells are launched.” This is the same year that our War Cycle turned up and accurately predicted civil unrest and international tensions in both Palestine and Ukraine.
The United Nations also found numerous rockets stored in schools. They have developed an intricate tunnel system that runs between these civilian public areas that double as their military bases. They do this because they are cowards and feel as if the international community will defend them if Israel bombs a hospital, school, or mosque. People with no regard for human life do not have loyalties. Hamas is prepared to watch their own people die, as it has been their plan all along.
Posted originally on the CTH on October 15, 2023 | Sundance
Good grief, if the stakes of this issue were not so high, I probably would not have watched this. Alas, a review was necessary to judge the competency of policy. What follows is beyond sad.
I know many readers here will not like the thought of watching pudding brain mutter his way through a carefully edited and controlled interview by a corporate outlet intent on presenting Biden in the best possible light. However, you only really need to watch the introduction by CBS host, Scott Pelley.
Never before have I seen a more transparently pathetic political defense presented as the introduction to an interview of a U.S. president. Pelley was apologetic toward Biden in the extreme, leading the viewer into an interview with prescripted justification and excuses for the content that would follow. Watching Pelley set up this interview elicits a sense of embarrassment that such a set-up is needed. When he gets into the interview, Pelley actually constructs the talking points for Biden, with explanations and outlines that provide simple yes/no answers from Biden. This interview is so soft, it becomes pathetic to watch:
Posted originally on the CTH on October 15, 2023 | Sundance
I’m not posting this for the content per se’, but rather as an example of how if you listen carefully, you can catch the DeceptiCONs. This is the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mike McCaul, talking to Maria Bartiromo about the Israeli war.
♦ Context matters! Remember, it was just a few days ago when Mike McCaul left a “non-classified” White House briefing by DNI Avril Haines and the State Dept, likely Victoria Nuland, and immediately went to the microphones to push a false story that Egypt had warned the Israelis in advance of the Hamas attack {GO DEEP}. That never happened. Additionally, it was just a few weeks ago when Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) member Maria Bartiromo dropped her mask in the interview with Matt Gaetz {LINK}.
Listen carefully, and you will notice how Bartiromo cites the White House briefing (“situation room“) and then immediately McCaul starts talking about “what we are doing,” meaning the Biden administration. The “we” in that sentence is profoundly Freudian, and if you know the cues to look for, you can spot them immediately.
Essentially, McCaul is admitting in that brief section that he (even though he is supposed to be a Republican), is a part of the Biden effort. That explains his willingness to go immediately to the microphones and give the false story as a media narrative – more valuable from the Republican than from the Biden intelligence apparatus. I hope you can see what my reference is here.
As I say all the time, in this era of universal deceit, trust your instincts. If you know what to look for, you will quickly start to see the professional deceivers don’t even realize when they slip, because they are still attached to the “old” level of scrutiny that was being applied. WATCH:
We The People are being manipulated. We need to break this cycle of propaganda abuse, by reminding ourselves about the history of how we have been abused.
This is a very dangerous awakening. The UniParty has been on full display in the past few weeks. Factually, the more the average American understands the nature of their abuse, the manipulation, the more dangerous the potential response from government becomes. A narcissist becomes violent when their gaslighting no longer works. A government becomes similarly disposed when the propaganda stops working.
See things as they are, not as we would prefer them to be.
Live your absolute best life while being frosty, smart and strategically small.
Pay attention to the things that people think no one is noticing.
Posted originally on the CTH on October 15, 2023 | Sundance
There has been much banter about 500 to 600 Americans who are currently in Gaza and the need to evacuate them. Let us not pretend. Any American who intentionally took part in Palestinian civilian life in Hamas led Gaza did so knowing they were living within a population controlled by terrorists. It should not be the position of the U.S. government to avert people from the consequences of their adult decisions.
Has anyone ever noticed that when Democrats are in power, the world ends up in perpetual globe-skipping crisis? National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan appears on CBS to discuss the current security risks within Gaza, as the Israelis begin the difficult challenge of wiping out the Hamas terrorists. Both Sullivan and the pearl-clutching Brennan pretend the Palestinian people do not support their terrorist leaders. WATCH (Transcript Below):
[Transcript] MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Jake, I want to get straight to it. This is going to be very brutal urban warfare when Israel moves into Gaza. How much time do you have to get the 500-600 Americans trapped there out?
WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JAKE SULLIVAN: Well, Margaret, we’re in daily, indeed, hourly contact with our counterparts in the Israeli Defense Forces and security services. And we’re talking to them about their plans for moving in on the ground in Gaza. It’s not for me to say what their timetable is. I think they will need to speak to that. But we are very focused on, first, as you said, making sure that all American citizens in Gaza have safe passage out of Gaza and into Egypt. We’re working on that around the clock, we’re not going to rest until that happens. And second, we’re very focused on making sure that the broader civilian population of Gaza, because the vast majority of Palestinians in Gaza have nothing to do with Hamas, that they can get to safe areas, that they can get access to food, water, medicine, shelter, and that they can be protected from the fighting as it intensifies and as a potential ground operation moves forward.
MARGARET BRENNAN: If any of those Palestinian civilians are permitted to leave Gaza, does the United States have assurances from Israel that they will eventually be allowed to return to their homes? Or will they just become refugees?
SULLIVAN: We are not at the point of discussing the operational details of people, the larger civilian population leaving Gaza. We’re focused right now on getting them to safe areas, not in the north of Gaza, but down in the south of Gaza. In terms of the larger question of whether those who leave can return, the United States has a very simple proposition on this: it’s when people leave their homes in conflict, leave their houses in conflict, they deserve the right to return to those homes- to those houses. And this situation is no different.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The United States deployed a second aircraft carrier to the eastern Mediterranean. I’m wondering if you have new intelligence that shows that the threat from Iran is growing.
SULLIVAN: We don’t have some specific new intelligence that the threat is different today from yesterday. The threat yesterday was real. The threat today is real. There is a risk of an escalation of this conflict, the opening of a second front in the north, and of course of Iran’s involvement- that is a risk. And that’s a risk that we have been mindful of since the start. It’s why the President moves so rapidly and decisively to get an aircraft carrier into the eastern Mediterranean, to get aircraft into the Gulf, because he wants to send a very clear message of deterrence to any state or any actor that would seek to exploit this situation. And he said it best when he spoke last week, in the- in the aftermath of this brutal and vicious terrorist attack to any state that would think about doing this: don’t.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, Iran’s foreign minister put out a public statement saying that Iran cannot remain a spectator. What does that mean to you? Are you concerned about proxy forces? Are you concerned that the State of Iran is getting drawn in?
SULLIVAN: Well, first, we are concerned about proxy forces. Lebanese Hezbollah, a proxy force of Iran, is there, a raid on Israel’s northern border with considerable military capacity and a history of attacking the State of Israel. And in fact, we have seen in the last few days skirmishes across that northern border that only enhances the risk of escalation. But of course, we can’t rule out that Iran would choose to get directly engaged some way; we have to prepare for every possible contingency. That’s exactly what the President has done. That is part of what has motivated the President’s movement of these assets, to send that clear message of deterrence to make clear that this war should not escalate, and that no other actor should seek to exploit this situation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is there diplomatic outreach to Iran right now?
SULLIVAN: We have means of communicating privately with Iran. And we have availed ourselves of those means over the past few days to make clear privately that which we have said publicly.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When it comes to the Israeli forces moving into Gaza, do you have a definition of success from the Prime Minister?
SULLIVAN: The definition of success ultimately will be the long term safety and security of the Jewish state and the Jewish people. And what that means is their ability to eliminate the threat that Hamas poses to Israel. That is the definition of success that they have set out, that is what they are working for in trying to take out the terror infrastructure in Gaza. They are working through that, as they have said, through the aerial campaign and ultimately they are looking at operations on the ground and otherwise to try to effectuate that outcome.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But there are 2 million Palestinians living there who, as you said, many of whom have absolutely nothing to do with Hamas. So at this point, are you expecting Israeli military forces to occupy that area long-term? Who steps in and governs if Hamas is routed out?
SULLIVAN: These are important long term questions to begin asking and grappling with today. We believe that Israel is grappling with them, we are talking to them about them. I’m not going to share the details of those private conversations. But what I will say is, right now, the focus of the Israeli operation is on that terrorist infrastructure in Gaza. And I’m not going to speak to some of these longer term questions at this time, even as we are grappling with them. I will say, though, that it is absolutely critical, as President Biden said from the very beginning, that we as fellow democracies, the US and Israel, that we embrace the rule of law and the laws of war, and the United States will work with Israel, the United Nations, Egypt, Jordan, and other countries, to do all that we can to ensure the protection of civilians and that those civilians have access to the basic necessities of food and water, of shelter, of medicine. That is a priority of ours, in the hours and days ahead, excuse me, in the hours and days ahead.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And the targeting of that kind of basic infrastructure is potentially a war crime, is it not?
SULLIVAN: Look, I’m not going to react to or comment on every report that we see. There’s a lot of fog of war. What we will say is the protection of civilians and the protection of those people who are trying to get to safety, as well as their ability to access food, water, medicine, shelter, these things should be respected and should very much be a central focus of everyone involved in this, including ourselves, the Israelis, the United Nations, and the regional countries.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The Palestinian Authority, a long time ago, renounced violence. I saw President Biden spoke to Mahmoud Abbas yesterday. Is your expectation that the Palestinian Authority would potentially govern Gaza? And how concerned are you that violence will spread in the West Bank?
SULLIVAN: Look, again, I think you’re asking a very important question about the long term in Gaza. What I will say is this: Gaza being governed by a brutal and vicious terrorist organization, is not just a challenge for the State of Israel. It’s a challenge for the Palestinian people, because Hamas does not represent their highest aspirations. Hamas is not looking out for, caring one iota about their welfare and well being. So the Palestinian people in Gaza do deserve a leadership that allows them to live lives in peace and dignity and security. What that exactly looks like going forward. I’m not in a position to say today, but it is the right question to be asking now, as this unfolds, because we have to think not just about the immediate term, but about the long term too.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Jake, what do Americans need to be bracing themselves for in the coming days?
SULLIVAN: Well, first, the American people have already been through something here not in simply watching this brutality, this barbarism unfold. Of course, that’s nothing compared to what the Israeli people have suffered the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. But the American people are personally affected by this too. And you’ve seen it in the outpouring of grief, of solidarity of sympathy for those innocents who lost their lives. In the days ahead,the American people will, of course, be watching closely to see whether or not this conflict escalates. And the United States government, the Biden administration, our President is doing everything he can to ensure that does not happen, that this conflict is contained to Gaza does not expand beyond that. And that Israel can succeed in rooting out the terrorist infrastructure of Hamas, while the United States works with others to protect the welfare of the innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
MARGARET BRENNAN: This is not the only crisis you’re dealing with. There’s still a land war in Europe. You said just a few days ago to congressional leaders that US aid to Ukraine was running dangerously low. That, as there’s a renewed offensive. How close to crisis are we on that front?
SULLIVAN: We can continue to sustain deliveries of critical ammunition for them to defend against that Russian offensive and continue pressing forward in other areas in Ukraine. And you’re right, Margaret, that Russian offensive is very much underway. The Russians are throwing a lot at the Ukrainians in the northeast, in the east, and we need to make sure that we continue rushing necessary military supplies to them. We’re doing that. But we need Congress to act. And the President has made clear that he is going to go to Congress with a package of funding for Ukraine as well as continued support for Israel. You can expect intensive engagement with Congress this very week, as we work on such a package and seek to secure bipartisan support for it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And that’s a $2 billion package that would bundle Ukraine, Israel, the border, support for Taiwan altogether.
SULLIVAN: Well, the number is going to be significantly higher than that. But it will, as I said, certainly include the necessary military equipment to defend freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity in Ukraine, and to help Israel defend itself as it fights its terrorist foes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Jake Sullivan, National Security Adviser to the President. Thank you for your time today.
I support the innocent civilians on both sides. Many do not realize that the people of Palestine cannot flee. This entire situation began after Western meddling in foreign policy when France and Britain decided to send Jewish Europeans to Palestine after World War II. Only 10% of the population was Jewish at this time. On May 15, 1948, Nakba (“catastrophe” in Arabic) occurred amid the rise of the Zionists as there are extremists on both sides. Around 750,000 people or two-thirds of the population were uprooted from their homes and forced to become refugees in a nation they once occupied.
Hundreds of villages were “transferred” or ethnically cleansed of Palestinians during this time. The majority of Palestinians made their home on the Gaza strip, which remains one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Egypt ruled Gaza for nearly 20 years before Israel reclaimed the land in 1967 after the Six-Day War. Numerous Jewish settlements were constructed and they ruled the area for 38 years until foreign pressure led them to withdraw 9,000 settlers and hand over Gaza and parts of the West Bank to Palestine.
Hamas overtook Palestinian leaders for control of Gaza in 2006, and no elections have been held since. Now, over two million Palestinians live within 140 square miles of a heavily militarized territory. Half of the people living in this area are children and teens who have no options for a better life. Fearing Hamas, Israel implemented an air, sea, and land blockade around Gaza in 2007. Nearly all humanitarian groups have asked Israel to repeal or lift this blockade with some describing it as “an open-air prison.”
Israel controls the imports and exports to Palestine. The UN Human Rights Committee permits Israel to block the freedom of movement for Palestinians but “the restrictions must not impair the essence of the right; the relation between the right and restriction, between norm and exception, must not be reversed.” Israel bypasses this basic human right by claiming the rise of Hamas justifies closing off the borders.
Palestine’s economy is in Israel’s hands since it controls all imports and exports. It controls the land that is favorable for agriculture. Unemployment estimates range from 30% to 40% and continue to grow. The World Food Program said 63% of Palestinians are “food insecure,” while the UN believes 65% of the population lives below the poverty line.
So these extremists with nothing to lose spent their entire lives hating their neighbors who live in drastically better conditions. They feel it would be an honor to die fighting for what they believe is a just cause. Both sides see the other as subhuman. The governments, militias, and foreign policy are to blame, but the innocent people on both sides will suffer.
Hamas’s attack was deliberately orchestrated to create an open war. I say that because of the taking of hostages, knowing that this will simply escalate the crisis. The ongoing hostage situation presents a unique crisis, for included within those hostages are also Americans. Taking about 150 living hostages presents a crisis that can engulf the entire region. This is not simply a retaliation against Hamas. They have said for every attack, they will kill one hostage.
The question also brings into play Hezbollah. Will they open up a northern front to the war? If Israeli troops enter Gaza, Hezbollah’s response to a massive Israeli ground operation would most likely pull them in as well. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said: “No power, no food, no gas.” “We are fighting human animals, and we act accordingly.” Defense officials have ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza in response to this attack, which was the deadliest day in Israeli history.
Israel has bombarded the densely populated enclave in retaliation, killing at least 920 people. On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces announced that the border with Gaza was secured and that it was preparing for an offensive.
There is no doubt that this was planned. Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad visited China for the first time in nearly 20 years. Beijing seeks to deepen its influence in the Middle East. Interestingly, according to Chinese media, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife left their three children in China when they returned to Syria after attending the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. In addition, Egyptian intelligence officials said that Jerusalem had ignored repeated warnings that the Gaza-based terror group was planning “something big.” They claim to have directly warned the prime minister. Egypt has often served as a mediator between Israel and Hamas. This only further validates that this was allowed to occur just like 9/11.
The Neocons seek to use the Middle East as a second front against Russia. They are really in control of the White House. The standard position of the United States has emphasized the importance of Israeli security. Looking at Biden’s prepared statement drafted by the Neocons, there was no mention of restraint whatsoever. With Americans included in the hostages, the Neocons are celebrating as usual. I’m sure Blinken and Victoria Nuland were popping the champagne. A plane carrying U.S. weapons landed in Israel ahead of a visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is eager to get World War III going.
The Biden Administration will be dragged in since the Neocons are in full control. Most politicians want to blindly support Israel, while a small minority want them to impose accountability and costs. The Neocons want no accountability whatsoever. My sources confirm that the weapons used by Hamas were mostly American, which came from what Biden left behind in Afghanistan.
Our computer, which has been truly amazing in its geopolitical forecasts, clearly shows that we were entering war beginning in 2014 into particularly 2027 – a 13-year period of escalating civil unrest as well as international war. The light at the end of the tunnel is that these psychopaths will lose at the end of the day. Their grand plans for a Great Reset that will eliminate any Democratic movement and usher in totalitarianism will fail. The light at the end of the tunnel is that WE GET to recreate government, and this time, let us learn from all the mistakes in human history. This is our great opportunity post-2032. Let’s roll up our sleeves and create a new world to leave behind.
Breaking News Israel: US weapons left behind in Afghanistan used to attack Israel.
A high-ranking Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commander said US weapons left in Afghanistan by the Biden administration were found in the hands of Palestinian groups active in the Gaza Strip.
The $6 billion in aid to Iran provided on the 22nd anniversary of 9/11 was not enough for Joe Biden. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have stated that Hamas is now using the weapons left behind amid the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. The Pentagon has even admitted that $7 billion in military equipment went directly into the hands of the Taliban. Were the weapons deliberately left behind?
This would not be the first time that America has provided its enemies with weapons AND training. The vocal minority who still support Joe Biden claimed he wanted to end the never-ending war in the Middle East. No one understood why the US suddenly pulled out of Afghanistan. Watch the ominous video below. Biden has always been a Neocon. In 2007, a fully mentally competent Joe Biden said he would pull out of Afghanistan as POTUS. “And you leave those billions of dollars of weapons behind I promise they’re going to be used against your grandchild and mine some day,” the Big Guy said while invading a woman’s personal space.
Buried 2007 video of Senator Joe Biden discussing troop removal from Afghanistan. It would be a shame if everyone saw this…
"And you leave those billions of dollars of weapons behind I promise they're going to be used against your grandchild and mine some day" – The Big Guy pic.twitter.com/gWzDoh5DtR
Posted originally on the CTH on October 15, 2023 | Sundance
I was reviewing a Wall Street Journal article about the Sinai border between Egypt and Gaza and various Western opinion about Egypt’s unwillingness to allow Palestinian refugees to cross the heavily controlled border.
For those who do not know the deep background, the Western media context looks troublesome {GO DEEP}. However, I rise in defense of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, because we have tracked and discussed the issues for a long time. Egypt is in a very difficult position right now, and with Obama/Biden in the White House – the challenge is made even worse. First the WSJ framing of the issue:
TEL AVIV— A diplomatic effort to evacuate U.S. citizens from Gaza faltered after Egyptian officials said they would only allow foreigners to cross the border if aid could pass in the opposite direction.
Egypt’s refusal on Saturday, confirmed by three officials and in an announcement on state television, thwarted the latest U.S. push to evacuate any of the 500 or more Americans in Gaza wishing to leave through the enclave’s southern border with Egypt.
Israel—which has sealed off Gaza’s northern border with a ground invasion by Israeli forces believed imminent—said Saturday that it would give a few hours of safe passage for people in northern Gaza to move southward. A doctor in Gaza said corpses were piling up in the main hospital’s morgue and under rubble from Israeli airstrikes launched in response to Hamas militants’ lightning strike into Israel last Saturday.
[…] Egypt is apprehensive about the prospect of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees being displaced into Egypt, or of getting drawn deeper into the conflict. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, an ardent enemy of Hamas, has also warned that a mass displacement from the enclave could mean an end to the aspirations of a Palestinian state.
Egypt told the U.S. that it has too many evacuation requests to accommodate U.S. nationals and that it can’t grant passage to one country over others, according to two Egyptian officials, who also cited security concerns related to a lack of screening of individuals. On the Palestinian side, damage from an Israeli missile has hindered access to the Rafah crossing.
Yet, Sisi earlier this week ordered tents to be pitched in the Egyptian towns of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, in preparation for potentially having to accept refugees from Gaza. He also ordered the creation of a 8.5-mile wide, 500-meter deep buffer zone in Rafah.
Israel’s military said Gazans could safely travel along two major routes south for six hours before 4 p.m. local time, as its forces prepare for an expected ground invasion aimed at routing Hamas. (read more)
Western media never discuss the extreme lengths al-Sisi had to go through in 2014 through 2017 to clear out the radical Islamists from Egypt. After Sisi kicked out the Muslim Brotherhood (Hamas, al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, ISIS, enablers), he became the mortal enemy of tribal terrorism. The various terrorist elements put a fatwah on the head of Sisi and commanded all members of the Islamic Jihad to target Egypt.
It was President al-Sisi who destroyed all the Hamas tunnels from the Sinai into Gaza, and there were hundreds of them. It took years and was painfully difficult for the Egyptian military to remove the extremist elements, culminating in a heavily fortified border between Gaza and Egypt. For Sisi now to look at the potential of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian sympathizers to Hamas setting up camp in his country, he must have very serious concerns.
The Sinai region is a tenuous challenge already for Sisi, and that was highlighted by the horrific terrorist attack that took place in 2017 in retaliation against Egypt for the border security measures.
Against the backdrop of the first border opening between Egypt’s northern Sinai and Gaza, and against the ongoing efforts by the al-Sisi led coalition to move toward peace between Arabs and Israelis, the extremists strike back in 2017 with a horrific terrorist attack against the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, west of El Arish, the main city in North Sinai. 235 people were killed and hundreds more wounded {link}
It took President al-Sisi years to secure Egypt from the extremist elements and protect the Egyptian people. The fact that Sisi is a singular and respected figure, who came from the Egyptian army to stop the Islamic jihad and the implementation of Sharia Law represented by the Muslim Brotherhood, has always been a problem. With Sisi there is peace and strength; but like Donald Trump President Sisi is one man.
By an overwhelming majority, the nation of Egypt wants Sisi to remain as President, because quite frankly he is irreplaceable. The delicate balance of peace in Egypt rests on his shoulders. Think about it. On his Western border he has Libya in a state of crisis with extreme jihadist elements. On his Eastern border he has Hamas, and now everyone expects Sisi to import a faction of an entire population quite comfortable with Islamic extremism. This is not a good position to be in.
Egypt doesn’t want the refugees, not because Egypt is heartless to their plight, but factually because inside that population of refugees is a radical element that could reignite the Sinai region all over again…. And, if the worst does happen, no one will be there to help President al-Sisi except an already pressured Egyptian military.
Jordan is full of refugees already, and King Abdullah manages his own tinderbox. Syria is a hot mess of factional/tribal extremism, and if Egypt is not careful the Syrian model, or even the Libyan situation could easily be the fate for Egypt.
Hamas hates al-Sisi for disrupting their ability to smuggle weapons across the border. Topping this off, the Obama/Biden administration undermines Egypt at every opportunity. It has always been visible just below the surface that the U.S. supports the Muslim Brotherhood and Qatar; the Obama/Biden alignment against Egypt is just one part of this dynamic.
From the State Dept/CIA perspective, they would enjoy the Palestinian/Hamas sentiment triggering renewed jihadist chaos in Egypt. Again, President Sisi is in a tough place.
I’m not sure how this is going to end, but I find myself very sympathetic to the dynamic that President Sisi is facing. What right do Western leaders have to demand Egypt open their borders to known terrorists?
Posted originally on the CTH on October 14, 2023 | Sundance
Against the backdrop of current events, it is worthwhile revisiting the speech President Donald Trump gave in 2017 from Riyad, Saudi Arabia. This speech led to the longest timeline of peace in the Arab world and was the foundation of the historic Abraham Accords.
Within the speech, President Trump provides a clarity that none in the audience had heard before. After this speech, all of the nations attending began a process to isolate the terrorists and confront the financiers (Qatar). WATCH (Transcript Below):
[TRANSCRIPT] I want to thank King Salman for his extraordinary words, and the magnificent Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting today’s summit. I am honored to be received by such gracious hosts. I have always heard about the splendor of your country and the kindness of your citizens, but words do not do justice to the grandeur of this remarkable place and the incredible hospitality you have shown us from the moment we arrived.
You also hosted me in the treasured home of King Abdulaziz, the founder of the Kingdom who united your great people. Working alongside another beloved leader – American President Franklin Roosevelt – King Abdulaziz began the enduring partnership between our two countries. King Salman: your father would be so proud to see that you are continuing his legacy – and just as he opened the first chapter in our partnership, today we begin a new chapter that will bring lasting benefits to our citizens.
Let me now also extend my deep and heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of the distinguished heads of state who made this journey here today. You greatly honor us with your presence, and I send the warmest regards from my country to yours. I know that our time together will bring many blessings to both your people and mine.
I stand before you as a representative of the American People, to deliver a message of friendship and hope. That is why I chose to make my first foreign visit a trip to the heart of the Muslim world, to the nation that serves as custodian of the two holiest sites in the Islamic Faith.
In my inaugural address to the American People, I pledged to strengthen America’s oldest friendships, and to build new partnerships in pursuit of peace. I also promised that America will not seek to impose our way of life on others, but to outstretch our hands in the spirit of cooperation and trust.
Our vision is one of peace, security, and prosperity—in this region, and in the world.
Our goal is a coalition of nations who share the aim of stamping out extremism and providing our children a hopeful future that does honor to God.
And so this historic and unprecedented gathering of leaders—unique in the history of nations—is a symbol to the world of our shared resolve and our mutual respect. To the leaders and citizens of every country assembled here today, I want you to know that the United States is eager to form closer bonds of friendship, security, culture and commerce.
For Americans, this is an exciting time. A new spirit of optimism is sweeping our country: in just a few months, we have created almost a million new jobs, added over 3 trillion dollars of new value, lifted the burdens on American industry, and made record investments in our military that will protect the safety of our people and enhance the security of our wonderful friends and allies – many of whom are here today.
Now, there is even more blessed news I am pleased to share with you. My meetings with King Salman, the Crown Prince, and the Deputy Crown Prince, have been filled with great warmth, good will, and tremendous cooperation. Yesterday, we signed historic agreements with the Kingdom that will invest almost $400 billion in our two countries and create many thousands of jobs in America and Saudi Arabia.
This landmark agreement includes the announcement of a $110 billion Saudi-funded defense purchase – and we will be sure to help our Saudi friends to get a good deal from our great American defense companies. This agreement will help the Saudi military to take a greater role in security operations.
We have also started discussions with many of the countries present today on strengthening partnerships, and forming new ones, to advance security and stability across the Middle East and beyond.
Later today, we will make history again with the opening of a new Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology – located right here, in this central part of the Islamic World.
This groundbreaking new center represents a clear declaration that Muslim-majority countries must take the lead in combatting radicalization, and I want to express our gratitude to King Salman for this strong demonstration of leadership.
I have had the pleasure of welcoming several of the leaders present today to the White House, and I look forward to working with all of you.
America is a sovereign nation, and our first priority is always the safety and security of our citizens. We are not here to lecture—we are not here to tell other people how to live, what to do, who to be, or how to worship. Instead, we are here to offer partnership – based on shared interests and values – to pursue a better future for us all.
Here at this summit, we will discuss many interests we share together. But above all we must be united in pursuing the one goal that transcends every other consideration. That goal is to meet history’s great test—to conquer extremism and vanquish the forces of terrorism.
Young Muslim boys and girls should be able to grow up free from fear, safe from violence, and innocent of hatred. And young Muslim men and women should have the chance to build a new era of prosperity for themselves and their peoples.
With God’s help, this summit will mark the beginning of the end for those who practice terror and spread its vile creed. At the same time, we pray this special gathering may someday be remembered as the beginning of peace in the Middle East – and maybe, even all over the world.
But this future can only be achieved through defeating terrorism and the ideology that drives it.
Few nations have been spared its violent reach.
America has suffered repeated barbaric attacks – from the atrocities of September 11th to the devastation of the Boston Bombing, to the horrible killings in San Bernardino and Orlando.
The nations of Europe have also endured unspeakable horror. So too have the nations of Africa and even South America. India, Russia, China and Australia have been victims.
But, in sheer numbers, the deadliest toll has been exacted on the innocent people of Arab, Muslim and Middle Eastern nations. They have borne the brunt of the killings and the worst of the destruction in this wave of fanatical violence.
Some estimates hold that more than 95 percent of the victims of terrorism are themselves Muslim.
We now face a humanitarian and security disaster in this region that is spreading across the planet. It is a tragedy of epic proportions. No description of the suffering and depravity can begin to capture its full measure.
The true toll of ISIS, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, and so many others, must be counted not only in the number of dead. It must also be counted in generations of vanished dreams.
The Middle East is rich with natural beauty, vibrant cultures, and massive amounts of historic treasures. It should increasingly become one of the great global centers of commerce and opportunity.
This region should not be a place from which refugees flee, but to which newcomers flock.
Saudi Arabia is home to the holiest sites in one of the world’s great faiths. Each year millions of Muslims come from around the world to Saudi Arabia to take part in the Hajj. In addition to ancient wonders, this country is also home to modern ones—including soaring achievements in architecture.
Egypt was a thriving center of learning and achievement thousands of years before other parts of the world. The wonders of Giza, Luxor and Alexandria are proud monuments to that ancient heritage.
All over the world, people dream of walking through the ruins of Petra in Jordan. Iraq was the cradle of civilization and is a land of natural beauty. And the United Arab Emirates has reached incredible heights with glass and steel, and turned earth and water into spectacular works of art.
The entire region is at the center of the key shipping lanes of the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the Straits of Hormuz. The potential of this region has never been greater. 65 percent of its population is under the age of 30. Like all young men and women, they seek great futures to build, great national projects to join, and a place for their families to call home.
But this untapped potential, this tremendous cause for optimism, is held at bay by bloodshed and terror. There can be no coexistence with this violence. There can be no tolerating it, no accepting it, no excusing it, and no ignoring it.
Every time a terrorist murders an innocent person, and falsely invokes the name of God, it should be an insult to every person of faith.
Terrorists do not worship God, they worship death.
If we do not act against this organized terror, then we know what will happen. Terrorism’s devastation of life will continue to spread. Peaceful societies will become engulfed by violence. And the futures of many generations will be sadly squandered.
If we do not stand in uniform condemnation of this killing—then not only will we be judged by our people, not only will we be judged by history, but we will be judged by God.
This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects, or different civilizations.
This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it.
This is a battle between Good and Evil.
When we see the scenes of destruction in the wake of terror, we see no signs that those murdered were Jewish or Christian, Shia or Sunni. When we look upon the streams of innocent blood soaked into the ancient ground, we cannot see the faith or sect or tribe of the victims – we see only that they were Children of God whose deaths are an insult to all that is holy.
But we can only overcome this evil if the forces of good are united and strong – and if everyone in this room does their fair share and fulfills their part of the burden.
Terrorism has spread across the world. But the path to peace begins right here, on this ancient soil, in this sacred land.
America is prepared to stand with you – in pursuit of shared interests and common security.
But the nations of the Middle East cannot wait for American power to crush this enemy for them. The nations of the Middle East will have to decide what kind of future they want for themselves, for their countries, and for their children.
It is a choice between two futures – and it is a choice America CANNOT make for you.
A better future is only possible if your nations drive out the terrorists and extremists. Drive. Them. Out.
DRIVE THEM OUT of your places of worship.
DRIVE THEM OUT of your communities.
DRIVE THEM OUT of your holy land, and
DRIVE THEM OUT OF THIS EARTH.
For our part, America is committed to adjusting our strategies to meet evolving threats and new facts. We will discard those strategies that have not worked—and will apply new approaches informed by experience and judgment. We are adopting a Principled Realism, rooted in common values and shared interests.
Our friends will never question our support, and our enemies will never doubt our determination. Our partnerships will advance security through stability, not through radical disruption. We will make decisions based on real-world outcomes – not inflexible ideology. We will be guided by the lessons of experience, not the confines of rigid thinking. And, wherever possible, we will seek gradual reforms – not sudden intervention.
We must seek partners, not perfection—and to make allies of all who share our goals.
Above all, America seeks peace – not war.
Muslim nations must be willing to take on the burden, if we are going to defeat terrorism and send its wicked ideology into oblivion.
The first task in this joint effort is for your nations to deny all territory to the foot soldiers of evil. Every country in the region has an absolute duty to ensure that terrorists find no sanctuary on their soil.
Many are already making significant contributions to regional security: Jordanian pilots are crucial partners against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Saudi Arabia and a regional coalition have taken strong action against Houthi militants in Yemen. The Lebanese Army is hunting ISIS operatives who try to infiltrate their territory. Emirati troops are supporting our Afghan partners. In Mosul, American troops are supporting Kurds, Sunnis and Shias fighting together for their homeland. Qatar, which hosts the U.S. Central Command, is a crucial strategic partner. Our longstanding partnership with Kuwait and Bahrain continue to enhance security in the region. And courageous Afghan soldiers are making tremendous sacrifices in the fight against the Taliban, and others, in the fight for their country.
As we deny terrorist organizations control of territory and populations, we must also strip them of their access to funds. We must cut off the financial channels that let ISIS sell oil, let extremists pay their fighters, and help terrorists smuggle their reinforcements.
I am proud to announce that the nations here today will be signing an agreement to prevent the financing of terrorism, called the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center – co-chaired by the United States and Saudi Arabia, and joined by every member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It is another historic step in a day that will be long remembered.
I also applaud the Gulf Cooperation Council for blocking funders from using their countries as a financial base for terror, and designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization last year. Saudi Arabia also joined us this week in placing sanctions on one of the most senior leaders of Hezbollah.
Of course, there is still much work to do.
That means honestly confronting the crisis of Islamist extremism and the Islamist terror groups it inspires. And it means standing together against the murder of innocent Muslims, the oppression of women, the persecution of Jews, and the slaughter of Christians.
Religious leaders must make this absolutely clear: Barbarism will deliver you no glory – piety to evil will bring you no dignity. If you choose the path of terror, your life will be empty, your life will be brief, and YOUR SOUL WILL BE CONDEMNED.
And political leaders must speak out to affirm the same idea: heroes don’t kill innocents; they save them. Many nations here today have taken important steps to raise up that message. Saudi Arabia’s Vision for 2030 is an important and encouraging statement of tolerance, respect, empowering women, and economic development.
The United Arab Emirates has also engaged in the battle for hearts and souls—and with the U.S., launched a center to counter the online spread of hate. Bahrain too is working to undermine recruitment and radicalism.
I also applaud Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon for their role in hosting refugees. The surge of migrants and refugees leaving the Middle East depletes the human capital needed to build stable societies and economies. Instead of depriving this region of so much human potential, Middle Eastern countries can give young people hope for a brighter future in their home nations and regions.
That means promoting the aspirations and dreams of all citizens who seek a better life – including women, children, and followers of all faiths. Numerous Arab and Islamic scholars have eloquently argued that protecting equality strengthens Arab and Muslim communities.
For many centuries the Middle East has been home to Christians, Muslims and Jews living side-by-side. We must practice tolerance and respect for each other once again—and make this region a place where every man and woman, no matter their faith or ethnicity, can enjoy a life of dignity and hope.
In that spirit, after concluding my visit in Riyadh, I will travel to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and then to the Vatican – visiting many of the holiest places in the three Abrahamic Faiths. If these three faiths can join together in cooperation, then peace in this world is possible – including peace between Israelis and Palestinians. I will be meeting with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Starving terrorists of their territory, their funding, and the false allure of their craven ideology, will be the basis for defeating them.
But no discussion of stamping out this threat would be complete without mentioning the government that gives terrorists all three—safe harbor, financial backing, and the social standing needed for recruitment. It is a regime that is responsible for so much instability in the region. I am speaking of course of Iran.
From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms, and trains terrorists, militias, and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region. For decades, Iran has fueled the fires of sectarian conflict and terror.
It is a government that speaks openly of mass murder, vowing the destruction of Israel, death to America, and ruin for many leaders and nations in this room.
Among Iran’s most tragic and destabilizing interventions have been in Syria. Bolstered by Iran, Assad has committed unspeakable crimes, and the United States has taken firm action in response to the use of banned chemical weapons by the Assad Regime – launching 59 tomahawk missiles at the Syrian air base from where that murderous attack originated.
Responsible nations must work together to end the humanitarian crisis in Syria, eradicate ISIS, and restore stability to the region. The Iranian regime’s longest-suffering victims are its own people. Iran has a rich history and culture, but the people of Iran have endured hardship and despair under their leaders’ reckless pursuit of conflict and terror.
Until the Iranian regime is willing to be a partner for peace, all nations of conscience must work together to isolate Iran, deny it funding for terrorism, and pray for the day when the Iranian people have the just and righteous government they deserve.
The decisions we make will affect countless lives.
King Salman, I thank you for the creation of this great moment in history, and for your massive investment in America, its industry and its jobs. I also thank you for investing in the future of this part of the world.
This fertile region has all the ingredients for extraordinary success – a rich history and culture, a young and vibrant people, a thriving spirit of enterprise. But you can only unlock this future if the citizens of the Middle East are freed from extremism, terror and violence.
We in this room are the leaders of our peoples. They look to us for answers, and for action. And when we look back at their faces, behind every pair of eyes is a soul that yearns for justice.
Today, billions of faces are now looking at us, waiting for us to act on the great question of our time.
Will we be indifferent in the presence of evil? Will we protect our citizens from its violent ideology? Will we let its venom spread through our societies? Will we let it destroy the most holy sites on earth? If we do not confront this deadly terror, we know what the future will bring—more suffering and despair. But if we act—if we leave this magnificent room unified and determined to do what it takes to destroy the terror that threatens the world—then there is no limit to the great future our citizens will have.
The birthplace of civilization is waiting to begin a new renaissance. Just imagine what tomorrow could bring.
Glorious wonders of science, art, medicine and commerce to inspire humankind. Great cities built on the ruins of shattered towns. New jobs and industries that will lift up millions of people. Parents who no longer worry for their children, families who no longer mourn for their loved ones, and the faithful who finally worship without fear.
These are the blessings of prosperity and peace. These are the desires that burn with a righteous flame in every human heart. And these are the just demands of our beloved peoples.
I ask you to join me, to join together, to work together, and to FIGHT together— BECAUSE UNITED, WE WILL NOT FAIL.
Thank you. God Bless You. God Bless Your Countries. And God Bless the United States of America.
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