Freezing funds is a common bank practice that’s generally illegal
It has become common practice for Wall Street and regional banks to close "suspicious" accounts. The banks claim that these accounts, usually involved in wire transfers and international business transaction, are high-risk accounts and they are taking necessary steps to protect their businesses. While it is clear that banks are not...Anniversary of Gaza Blockade: A state of siege
On June 14, fifty international organizations marked the fifth anniversary of the Israeli siege on Gaza by calling on Israel to end its blockade of the small, impoverished strip. "For over five years in Gaza, more than 1.6 million people have been under blockade in violation of international law. More than half of these people are...A big election for Arab Americans
For Arab Americans, the big election news of the past week didn't come out of just Wisconsin or Egypt. As important as these contests was Congressman Bill Pascrell's stunning victory over Congressman Steve Rothman in northern New Jersey's 9th District.Because redistricting had merged together parts of their old districts, these two...Are you ready for war with Syria?
War drums are beating again in Washington. This time Syria is in the crosshairs after a massacre there (recently) left more than 100 dead. As might be expected from an administration with an announced policy of “regime change” in Syria, the reaction was to blame only the Syrian government for the tragedy, expel Syrian diplomats...Spare us the western morality on Syria
As news of yet another massacre in Syria surfaces – this time in the farm village of Al-Kubeir near Hama – we can only imagine the moral outrage expressed by Western governments that will soon inundate media outlets.Much of Western identity centers on a pillar of high civility, and by extension, high morality. It is a lingering...Dearborn Heights budget: Don’t candy coat it — act on it
For those following the 2012 – 2013 budget deliberation in Dearborn Heights you know I am in disagreement with the approach the administration is taking toward our budgetary issues. The budget is heavily dependent upon revenues generated from tickets written by police, early retirements and a four day work week. In my...Romney: Going negative, subtly
Republican presidential challenger, Mitt Romney was given credit last week for refusing to endorse a proposed ad campaign that sought to link President Barack Obama with the controversial sermons delivered by his former pastor Jeremiah Wright. In doing so, Romney appeared to be demonstrating the same streak of decency that wouldn't allow...Starving and broke: Yemen’s renewed ‘War on Terror’
Yemeni forces continue to push against fighters affiliated with al-Qaeda. Their major victories come on the heels of the inauguration of Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi, who is now entrusted with the task of leading the country through a peaceful transition. A new constitution and presidential elections are expected by 2014. Faced with the...Redefining the Arab Spring: Is chaos overtaking revolution?
May 25th, 20120 The age of revolutionary romance is over. Various Arab countries are now facing hard truths. Millions of Arabs merely want to live with a semblance of dignity, free from tyranny and continuous anxiety over the future. This unromantic reality also includes outside "players," whose presence is of no positive value to genuine revolutionary...Obama will need more than rhetoric to get re-elected
Every time I talk to a Democrat or see one on TV talking, I hear time and time again..."Obama has it in the bag." Democratic fundraisers, activists, supporters, and even politicians alike have somehow collectively lapsed into the sentiment that the president is going to be re-elected in a landslide victory.I'm sorry to break the news to...Abbas-Fayyad feud imperils PA
A brewing feud between Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas and his Western-backed prime minister, Salam Fayyad, is further confounding the Palestinian situation, already plagued with a host of chronic political and financial problems, in addition to the decades-old Israeli occupation.Unlike Abbas, who is head of the...Palestinian Christians — A current exodus
A recent CBS '60 Minutes' segment by Bob Simon exposed an important aspect of Israel’s occupation: the exodus of Christian Palestinians. The timing of this provocative story could not be worse for Israel. In recent years, the focus of tension in the Middle East has shifted from Palestine to Iran. But the television report...Symptoms of a war that must end
“You can bomb the world to pieces, but you can’t bomb the world to peace.” This memorable quote from Michael Franti is fitting for the now decade-long war in Afghanistan. The façade of "progress" in Afghanistan is falling apart. A few days ago, The Los Angeles Times published pictures of U.S. soldiers posing with the...Vietnam, Afghanistan, and The Pentagon’s memory failure
Wars of Attrition: Green zones of the mind, guerrillas, and a technical knockout in AfghanistanRecently, after insurgents unleashed sophisticated, synchronized attacks across Afghanistan involving dozens of fighters armed with suicide vests, rocket-propelled grenades, and small arms, as well as car bombs, the Pentagon was quick to...Chances of Assad falling highly exaggerated
April 27th, 20120 For the past year, I've been intrigued listening to expert after expert tells us that Bashar Assad is going down and his ouster is just a matter of time. He has been called a "dead man walking" by the U.S. State Department. Israel's defense minister has insisted that Assad will fall in a matter of weeks. Just last month, President......
Jones, BAMN mirror images of each other
On April 7, Terry Jones, the Qur'an-burning pastor from Florida, stood in front of the Islamic Center of America to condemn Islamic religious law (shari'a) and the alleged Muslim effort to sabotage the Constitution. He renounced the Christian churches for criticizing him. As a professor who teaches about Religion and Politics, I was...It’s official: There is a Muslim exemption to the First Amendment
April 20th, 20120 David Stone and members of his Hutaree anti-government militia amassed a huge arsenal of weapons, including the ingredients for explosives, and allegedly plotted to kill a police officer and bomb his funeral. A federal judge in Michigan said they were just venting and exercising their First Amendment rights.Tarek Mehanna, a 29-year-old...What’s really happening in Syria?
The Holy Triumvirate — the United States, NATO, and the European Union — or an approved segment thereof, can usually get what they want. A woman wearing a Syrian national flag bearing images of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad around her neck, takes part in a rally to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the foundation of the Baath...We must demand boycott, divestment and sanctions at the University of Michigan
As we write this piece, more than 5,300 Palestinians are imprisoned in Israeli jails. Zero Israelis are imprisoned in Palestinian jails. A total of 24,813 Palestinian homes have been demolished by Israel since 1967. Zero Israeli homes have been demolished by Palestinians since then. Some 172 Jewish-only settlements and 101 “outposts”......
Israel-Iran matters get worse in verse
A lyrical attack by Germany’s acclaimed novelist and essayist Günter Grass in which he labeled Israel’s alleged atomic arsenal and looming preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear installations a threat to world peace has triggered fury and controversy amongst Israelis. In his 66-line poem entitled ‘What Must Be Said’ and...Hana Shalabi: The bravest form of nonviolence
No sooner had Khader Adnan ended his 66-day life-threatening hunger strike than new urgent concerns are being voiced for Hana Shalabi, another West Bank hunger striker now without food for more than 24 days. Both strikes were directed by Palestinian activists against the abusive use of administrative detention by Israeli West Bank......
How dangerous Is Iran?
According to the doctrine of pre-emptive war, Iran can be attacked based on its alleged desire to develop nuclear weapons, just as Iraq was attacked in 2003. In fact, Congress is currently debating whether a nuclear capability alone (which Brazil, Japan, and many other countries enjoy) could justify the ‘preventive’ attack.I believe...NO to AIPAC, NO to Israel and NO to war
Those who hoped President Obama might bring a new approach to foreign policy have been repeatedly disappointed. On Sunday, Obama had a chance to partially redeem himself. He failed. Speaking at the conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), he declared, “I have said that when it comes to preventing Iran from......