Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.
This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.
So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.
This is the new Samizdat. We must use it while we can.
Democrats Are Voting To Impeach Trump For Beating the Tar Out of Hillar–Er, ‘Committing a Crime
Why Remain Lost So Badly
John Malcolm: Political Disagreements Should Be Solved At The Ballot Box
First Amendment Under Digital Attack
Yemeni Forces Shoot Down Saudi Spy Drone over Jizan
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/12/13/2159298/yemeni-forces-shoot-down-saudi-spy-drone-over-jizan
” The Yemeni air defense forces successfully targeted an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) belonging to the Saudi-led military coalition that was flying over Jizan in southwestern Saudi Arabia, local sources said on Friday…”
US to Escape West Asia Soon: Iranian Top General
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/12/13/2159166/us-to-escape-west-asia-soon-iranian-top-general
“Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a top military aide to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, highlighted Iran’s recent military achievements in the face of the US government and said the American forces will soon have to escape the West Asia region…”
Spokesman Raps German FM’s Irresponsible Comments on Iran Riots
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/12/13/2159032/spokesman-raps-german-fm-s-irresponsible-comments-on-iran-riots
“Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi denounced the “interventionist” and “irresponsible” remarks that German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass has made about the recent unrest in Iran…”
Saudi Arabia Adopts Structural, Organizational Measures to Fight Corruption
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2034141/saudi-arabia-adopts-structural-organizational-measures-fight-corruption
“Royal orders were issued in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, providing for the inclusion of all committees and units specialized in fighting administrative and financial corruption under one body called the “Control and Anti-Corruption Authority.”
The head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Mazen al-Kahmous, said that the newly created body “will have the necessary powers to pursue and hold accountable the corrupt, and return the looted funds to the public treasury, in a manner that ensures the strengthening of the principle of the rule of law, and the accountability of every official, whatever his position.”
In line with the royal decree, the head of the Control and Anti-Corruption Authority shall coordinate with the Public Prosecution to continue investigating cases of financial and administrative corruption in some regions of the Kingdom that do not have branches of the Control and Anti-Corruption Authority, provided that a specific mechanism is established between the Public Prosecution and the Authority to ensure that these cases are identified and followed up by the Authority.
The royal orders also included approval of the organizational and structural arrangements pertaining to combating financial and administrative corruption, and stipulated the establishment of a criminal investigation and prosecution unit within the new authority, to specialize in criminal cases relating to financial and administrative corruption.
The new measures, along with the previous punishments imposed on government sector employees, aim to tighten control on the performance of public sector employees to preserve public money.
In earlier remarks, al-Kahmous said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has requested changing the Anti-Corruption Commission’s system as much as possible in order to eliminate previous bureaucratic procedures that were taking place between the administrative investigations, the public prosecutor and the anti-corruption commission.
He added: “The next stage is the eradication of corruption among lower-ranking employees, after the country has removed the big corruption figures.””
Chaos of Houthi-Controlled ‘Arms Markets’ Grows in Yemen
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2034411/chaos-houthi-controlled-%E2%80%98arms-markets%E2%80%99-grows-yemen
“The illegal arms market is expanding throughout the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which is under the control of the Houthi militias, Asharq Al-Awsat has learned.
Various types of weapons are easy to find in the capital, as the market continues to be fueled by the war that was ignited by the militias’ coup against the legitimate government in 2014.
The proliferation of arms had been one of the main security concerns of the Yemeni government, one among four of what were considered the most pressing dangers to national security, before the coup. Now however, the situation has become much more dangerous.
“The expansion of the arms market has been accelerating at an alarming rate in public markets and spaces since the Houthis took over the city,” Sanaa locals told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The locals also said that the arms market is controlled mostly by the Houthis themselves, and that they sell these weapons from stores, the side of the road, their cars, and in public local markets…”
Cavusoglu: ‘Israel will never achieve its dreams in Palestine’
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191213-cavusoglu-israel-will-never-achieve-its-dreams-in-palestine/
“Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, announced on Thursday in the Moroccan capital Rabat, that “Israel will never achieve its dreams in Palestine.”
“Israel will never achieve its dream of the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian homeland and the creation of a racist regime,” affirmed Cavusoglu in a speech he delivered during the celebration of the 50th commemoration of the foundation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
He explained: “The occupation of the Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, is still ongoing. The unity of Muslims is the only hope for achieving the rights of the Palestinian people, despite the loss of memory and hypocrisy.”
“We may have differences and different points of view on many issues, but we must not allow our bilateral conflicts to undermine our struggle. Our Palestinian brothers must resolve their differences and reach a solution for reconciliation,” added the Turkish minister.
He indicated that there have been attempts detected to violate international law in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, stressing that these attempts would make the two-state solution impossible.
Cavusoglu continued: “We must continue to defend the welfare of the entire nation, including minorities and Muslim societies in the East and West. We can combat the alarming increase of Islamophobia and racist incidents by uniting people.”
“We must also face the challenges and conflicts affecting our societies, including terrorism and poverty. We should strengthen our efforts to defend the rights of the Rohingya, Uyghurs, Kashmiris, Turkish Cypriots, the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, among others. In addition, the OIC should not appear to justify the violations of Muslim human and religious rights, under the pretext of combating extremism,” explained Cavusoglu.
He stressed: “We must overcome bilateral conflicts so that they do not become an obstacle in achieving the OIC’s objectives.”
Cavusoglu also added: “It has become necessary to reform the OIC, and we must all work to achieve this.”
The ceremony was attended by ministers and representatives of the Islamic ‘Troika’ (Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Gambia), and the ministerial ‘Troika’ (Bangladesh, the UAE and Niger), in addition to representatives from a number of Islamic countries and organisations.
The OIC includes 57 member states in four continents, which are Muslim-majority countries from the Arab world: Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Balkans (Bosnia and Albania). The organisation describes itself as “the collective voice of the Islamic world,” though it does not include all Islamic countries, and it aims to “protect the vital interests of Muslims” around the world.”
Turkey urges US to resist ‘anti-Turkey lobbying’ groups
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191213-turkey-urges-us-to-resist-anti-turkey-lobbying-groups/
“A top Turkish official on Friday urged “reasonable statesmen” to push back lobbying groups in Washington which damage Turkish-US ties for the sake of “narrow domestic political interests”, reports Anadolu Agency.
“US foreign policy must find a way to escape sacrificing US national interests for narrow domestic political interests,” Fahrettin Altun, Turkish communications director, said on Twitter.
“Anti-Turkey lobbying fringe groups cheer such steps for ideological reasons while they don’t care about US interests being damaged by alienating Turkey,” Altun added.
“US will isolate itself globally if it allows these groups to determine foreign policy,” he warned.
“Turkish-American relations will survive their attacks but only if reasonable statesmen rise and take a stance emphasizing the value of a mutually respecting relationship,” he added.
On Thursday, Altun warned that recent US moves – a bill to place sanctions on Turkey and a resolution on Armenian allegations over the events of 1915 – jeopardize relations with Turkey.
Turkey’s position on the events of 1915 is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties.
Turkey objects to the presentation of the incidents as “genocide” but describes the 1915 events as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.
Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Turkey and Armenia plus international experts to examine the issue.
On Friday, the ruling party and several opposition parties in Turkey’s parliament issued a resolution condemning the US Senate resolution.”
European arms companies accused of being complicit in Yemen war crimes
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2019/12/12/european-arms-companies-complicit-in-yemen-war-crimes
“A group of human rights organisations have filed a 300-page document to the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing European arms companies – including British giant BAE Systems – of being linked to war crimes in Yemen’s brutal war.
The human-rights groups, including Amnesty International and Campaign Against the Arms Trade, met prosecutors in The Hague on Wednesday to hand over the file.
“An ICC investigation would be an historic step towards holding arms company executives accountable for their business decisions,” Patrick Wilcken, Arms Control Researcher at Amnesty International, said on Thursday.
“The reality is that everybody involved in selling weapons to the Saudi Arabia/UAE-led Coalition bears some responsibility for how those weapons are used. This includes company executives as well as government officials”.
The dossier compiled by the rights’ groups alleges that missiles, aircraft and other arms made by 10 companies “contributed to the capacity” of the Saudi-led coalition in the conflict.
The groups accused Saudi Arabia of bombing schools, hospitals and civilians in 26 strikes, which killed more than 135 civilians. Remnants of bombs made by companies in Europe were found at each of the sites…”
Armed group claims killing four humanitarian hostages in Nigeria, aid organization says
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-security-insurgency/armed-group-claims-killing-four-humanitarian-hostages-in-nigeria-aid-organization-says-idUSKBN1YH2AT
“An armed group that kidnapped humanitarian workers in northeastern Nigeria five months ago has claimed it killed four hostages, international aid agency Action Against Hunger said on Friday.
Six people were abducted in July near the town of Damasak, in the state of Borno, where Islamist insurgents operate.
Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), which split from the militant group Boko Haram that began its insurgency in 2009, has become the dominant jihadist group in the region. The decade-long Islamist insurgency has caused the deaths of some 30,000 people and driven 2 million to flee their homes.
Action Against Hunger said one of its employees, two drivers and three health ministry workers were abducted. In September it said one of the hostages had been killed. On Friday, the humanitarian agency said the group claimed to have killed four of the remaining five hostages.
“Action Against Hunger condemns these latest killings in the strongest terms and deeply regrets that its calls for the release of the hostages have not been acted upon,” it said.
The organization called for the “immediate release” of its staff member, Grace, who remains in captivity.
The United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, condemned the killings…”
Turkish forces close down YPG/PKK tunnels in N Syria
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/turkish-forces-close-down-ypg-pkk-tunnels-in-n-syria/1673074
“Turkey’s National Defense Ministry released Friday a video showing Turkish forces closing down the tunnels built by the YPG/PKK terror group inside the area of country’s anti-terror operation in northern Syria.
In a Twitter post, the ministry releasing the video wrote: “The tunnels which were built by the PKK/YPG terrorists and which were negatively affecting the lives of the locals in the Operation Peace Spring area are being closed non-stop with the continuous effort since the first day.”
The two-minute video showed the tunnels built under the school buildings which were used as a dwelling by terrorists, and tunnels built to keep watch on the Turkish border, being destroyed by the Turkish soldiers after the identification process.
“The PKK/YPG terrorists’ evil burrows are being closed down one by one,” the video, released both in Turkish and English, said at the end.
Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on Oct. 9 to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity…”
Former Afghan Bundeswehr employees: Unsafe at home, insecure in Germany
https://www.dw.com/en/former-afghan-bundeswehr-employees-unsafe-at-home-insecure-in-germany/a-51640842
“During the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, a large number of civilian employees helped the German army. For some, the job became life-threatening. They had to flee, but they do not feel wanted in Germany…”