Reader’s Links for February 1, 2021

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.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

84 Replies to “Reader’s Links for February 1, 2021”

  1. Turkey’s Erdogan Says May Begin Working on New Constitution
    https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2778886/turkeys-erdogan-says-may-begin-working-new-constitution

    “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday his ruling AK Party and its nationalist allies may start work on drafting a new constitution, less than four years after overhauling the previous constitution to grant his office sweeping powers.

    Turks had voted in favor of the constitutional changes in 2017, leading the country to switch from a parliamentary democracy to an executive presidential system despite strong backlash from opposition parties and critics.

    Erdogan was elected president under the new system in 2018, with sweeping executive powers that opposition parties described as a “one-man regime”. The AKP and their Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) allies have defended the system, saying it created a streamlined state apparatus.

    “Perhaps, the time has come for Turkey to once again discuss a new constitution,” Erdogan said following a cabinet meeting in Ankara.

    “If we reach an understanding with our alliance partner, we may mobilize for a new constitution in the coming period,” he said, adding that efforts should be transparent and shared with the public.

    “No matter how much we change, it is not possible to erase the signs of coup and tutelage that have been inserted into the spirit of the constitution”, he said, adding he was upset that previous such attempts had foundered over the main opposition’s “uncompromising stance”.

    Erdogan’s remarks come weeks after MHP leader Devlet Bahceli suggested constitutional changes to ban the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) for separatism, a move the HDP condemned as an attempt to silence six million votes.

    Bahceli has long been a fierce critic of the HDP and, like Erdogan, accuses it of links to Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants who have fought a 36-year-old insurgency in southeast Turkey. The HDP denies this.

    “Work on a constitution is not something that can be done under the shadow of groups linked to the terrorist organization (PKK) with people whose mental and emotional ties to their country are broken,” Erdogan said on Monday, without specifying.

    Rights groups and Turkey’s Western allies have criticized what they see as increasing authoritarianism and threats to the rule of law under Erdogan, especially since a 2016 coup attempt that prompted sweeping crackdowns on his perceived opponents in public services, the military and elsewhere.

    Turkish authorities have rejected the accusations, saying the measures were necessary for national security.”

  2. Saudization rises to 21.8% in private sector in Q4 2020
    https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/603135/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudization-rises-to-218-in-private-sector-in-Q4-2020

    “The percentage of Saudis among the total workforce in the Kingdom’s private sector rose to 21.81 during the fourth quarter of 2020 as compared to 20.9 percent in the same quarter of 2019.

    These statistical figures were revealed by the National Labor Observatory (NLO.sa) of the Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF). Saudis made up 19.81 percent of the total workforce during the year 2018, while it was 18.37 percent in 2017, 16.47 percent in 2016, and 17 percent in 2015…”

  3. Qatar to increase annual aid to Gaza by 50%
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210201-qatar-to-increase-annual-aid-to-gaza-by-50/

    “The Qatari government announced yesterday it would increase its financial assistance to the Gaza Strip from an estimated $240 million to $360 million a year.

    “This grant will be used to pay employees’ salaries, provide financial aid to needy families, and operate power stations to limit the worsening of the humanitarian situation, and difficult living conditions in the Strip,” the Qatari government said in a statement.

    The senior Qatari official stressed that international solidarity and support for Gaza “is currently weak, unlike ten years ago.”…”

  4. Bahrain jails 18 men for forming Iran-backed cell
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210201-bahrain-jails-18-men-for-forming-iran-backed-cell/

    “Bahrain’s High Criminal Court jailed 18 men yesterday for being part of an alleged Iranian-supported terrorist cell.

    According to Akhbar Al-Khaleej, the convicts, all Bahraini citizens were sentenced between five years and life imprisonment having been charged with seeking to carry out terrorist operations in Bahrain on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). They were also convicted of receiving training abroad and possessing explosives since 2017.

    Eight of the defendants, aged between 17 and 37, were handed life sentences, two received 15-year terms and a further two were given ten years in jail. Five men were jailed for five years and one was jailed for seven years.

    Only half of the accused were present in court, the remaining were sentenced in absentia as they have fled the country…”

  5. Lebanon army arrests 18 Lebanese, Syrians linked to Daesh
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210201-lebanon-army-arrests-18-lebanese-syrians-linked-to-daesh/

    “Lebanon’s army said on Monday it had arrested 18 people, some Lebanese and others Syrian, with links to Daesh, Reuters reports.

    The arrests came in “field operations” that took place over the past two weeks in the border town of Arsal in the north, an army statement said.

    The individuals arrested confessed to belonging to the Daesh jihadist group and supporting it, and several weapons were also confiscated, it said.

    Juroud Arsal, a barren area in the mountains between Syria and Lebanon, was previously a base of operations for insurgents fighting in the Syrian civil war, including militants from Daesh and the group formerly known as the Nusra Front.”

  6. Turkish police detain 159 people at protests over Erdogan-appointed university head
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-bogazici/turkish-police-detain-159-people-at-protests-over-erdogan-appointed-university-head-idUSKBN2A13P6

    “Turkish police on Monday detained 159 people over protests in Istanbul against President Tayyip Erdogan’s appointment of a new rector at one of the country’s top universities, the Istanbul Governor’s office said…”

  7. US: Blinken warns Iran weeks away from nuclear bomb
    https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/us-blinken-warns-iran-weeks-away-from-nuclear-bomb-1.76888475

    “US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reiterated his warning that Iran could be on course to get enough fissile material to build a nuclear weapon within months, adding that it could be “a matter of weeks”.

    Speaking to NBC News, Blinken said the US would be willing to once again comply with the 2015 nuclear deal if Iran does the same, saying that the US would then work on a “longer and stronger” deal with allies which could include other issues, including Iran’s development of advanced missile technology and its deployment of armed groups throughout the Middle East.

    On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called on the US administration to stop imposing conditions on Tehran, and to implement his country’s conditions for returning to the nuclear agreement.

    Blinken avoided giving a clear answer when asked if the release of detained Americans in Iran would be a part of any future negotiations.

    He said: “Irrespective of… any deal, those Americans need to be released… We’re going to focus on making sure that they come home one way or another.”

    Before his confirmation as Secretary of State, Blinken said that under the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, it would take Iran over a year to produce enough fissile material to make one weapon. Blinken told lawmakers during his 19 January confirmation hearings that it would now take “about three or four months, based at least on public reporting.”

    Iran began breaching the limits on the nuclear deal in 2019, a year after former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal and began imposing harsh sanctions on Tehran as part of a campaign of maximum pressure.

    Iran has increased its production of fissile nuclear material, begun production of nuclear fuel enriched to 20 per cent purity, and ramped up its development of advanced centrifuges that can more efficiently process uranium ore for industrial or military purposes.

    Iranian breaches of the deal, which all remain under the observation of the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, have alarmed western leaders. Iran says it will not pursue nuclear weapons and most western intelligence agencies say Iran abandoned a clandestine atomic arms programme in 2003. But many non-proliferation experts have concluded Tehran is seeking to build up its nuclear technology capabilities with an eye toward quickly assembling nuclear weapons if it decided to in the future.

    The Biden administration says it will remove punishing sanctions on Tehran if Iran returns to full compliance with the JCPOA, but the sequencing of a restoration of the deal remains unclear. Both Blinken and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have said that they would return to compliance with the deal, but only if the other does so first.

    Iran has been trying to achieve a return to the 2015 deal by publicly pressuring the new Biden administration. It has seized the cargo ship of a US ally and imprisoned a US citizen on charges of espionage, according to The Times.

    In turn, the Iranian foreign minister told Jamaran News that the recent statements of the new US administration “do not mean anything,” adding: “If one of the parties is supposed to impose conditions, then we are the ones imposing the conditions.”

    Meanwhile, former US ambassador Robert Ford has warned, in an article published in Asharq Al Awsat Tuesday, about the “dangers of dancing” with Tehran, pointing to the “refusal of the Republican Party and a number of Democratic representatives to negotiate” with it, as “they demand the continuation of maximum pressure on the Iranian regime until the complete abandonment of the nuclear and missile program and the cessation of its regional interventions.”

    Ford added that Biden risks a very rapid decline in his influence and great dangers to his domestic agenda if he appears weak in the face of Iran.”

  8. Former NBA Icon Stephen Jackson Converts to Islam
    https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2021/02/333832/former-nba-icon-stephen-jackson-converts-to-islam/

    “Former National Basket Ball Assosiation (NBA) star Stephen Jackson has announced his conversion to Islam.

    The former basketballer published several posts on his social media accounts, celebrating his decision.

    One of the posts includes a video that shows Jackson reciting the Islamic declaration of faith also known as “Shahada.”

    In one of the most recent posts, Jackson expressed pride to see his daughter asking to join him for prayer before school….

    Several public figures and celebrities have converted to Islam in recent years.

    In 2018, a former leading member of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) convereted to Islam.

    In 2020, Canadian Instagram influencer and solo traveler Rosie Gabrielle also announced she converted to Islam.

    “It is not a religion, but a way of life. The life of humanity, humility, and love,” she said in January 2020 when announcing her conversion.

    A 2019 report by Pew Research Center estimates the number of Muslims in the world at 1.8 billion.

    The report estimated the number of Christians to be 2.3 billion.

    It noted; however, that the gap should be expected to narrow by 2060.

    According to the report, there will be three billion Christians and nearly three billion Muslims.

    “That’s because Muslims, on average, are younger and have more children than do Christians,” it said.”

  9. Security forces kill three terrorists in Lower Dir operation
    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282261/security-forces-kill-three-terrorists-in-lower-dir-operation

    “At least three terrorists were killed on Monday when security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) to thwart an infiltration attempt close to the Pak-Afghan border in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Dir district, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

    The terrorists were identified as Abid and Yousuf Khan from Swat valley and Abdul Sattar from Mardan.

    The military’s media wing said that a large quantity of weapons, ammunition and grenades were also recovered.

    According to the ISPR, the terrorists were involved in several target killing incidents in Swat in 2019.

    “These terrorists had planned to infiltrate and target several notables inside Pakistan, however, they were timely engaged and killed,” the statement added.

    Locals of the area appreciated the operation and vowed their full support to defeat menace of terrorism from the area, it further added.

    On January 18, at least two terrorists were killed by security forces during an IBO in Nargosa area of South Waziristan district.

    “During intense fire, two terrorists Usman Ali and Waheed Lashtai were killed and one was injured and apprehended,” the military’s media wing added.

    On January 10, it was reported Sepoy Naseer was martyred during an IBO on a terrorist hideout in Kani Roga, Doga Macha, North Waziristan District.

    Two terrorists were also killed in the operation, the ISPR had revealed.

    On January 6, a Frontier Corps (FC) soldier embraced martyrdom when terrorists from inside Afghanistan fired across the international border at a military check post in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Mohmand district, the ISPR said.

    According to the military’s media wing, 25-year-old Sepoy Fazal Wahid, a resident of Shangla in Swat valley, sustained bullet injuries during the exchange of fire but succumbed to his wounds later.”

  10. FOX – Trump’s Impeachment defense lawyer joins ‘Hannity’ exclusively

    Former President Trump’s lawyer David Schoen calls impeachment “unconsitutional’ in a ‘Hannity’ exclusive interview.

  11. ISIL assassin caught in northwestern Turkey: Interior minister
    https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/isil-assassin-caught-in-northwestern-turkey-interior-minister-162085

    “An assassin linked to the ISIL terror group was arrested in northwestern Turkey, the country’s interior minister said on Feb. 1.

    Minister Süleyman Soylu announced the arrest of the terrorist in a Twitter post, saying the counter-terrorism operation had been successfully held in Yalova province.

    Soylu congratulated the intelligence units, provincial police department, and prosecutor’s office involved in the arrest.”

  12. Arrest warrants out for 20 suspects in FETO probe
    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/arrest-warrants-out-for-20-suspects-in-feto-probe/2130238

    “Local Turkish authorities in the northwestern Edirne province issued arrest warrants for 20 over their suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the terror group behind the 2016 defeated coup.

    The arrest warrants were issued as part of a probe into the terror group’s covered organization. Among the accused are soldiers, lawyers, and police officers who were expelled from their posts.

    Anti-terror police seek the suspects in Ankara, Kahramanmaras, Tekirdag, Isparta, Afyon, Sivas, Kirklareli, and Malatya provinces as well as Edirne.

    FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

    Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.”

  13. Sweden: 5 injured in Helsingborg violence
    https://www.dw.com/en/sweden-5-injured-in-helsingborg-violence/a-56411472

    “The altercation occurred in the southern coastal city on Monday night. According to police, three were taken to hospital and at least two more remained hurt at the scene.

    Several people were injured after a suspected shooting in Helsingborg, Sweden, on Monday night.

    At least three injured people were taken to hospital after the incident in the southern Swedish city, and at least two others remained hurt at the scene, police said.

    Several callers reported an ongoing argument with a possible shooting but the background to the altercation was not immediately clear.

    Police later said that the case was being classified as attempted murder. Officers had brought in several people for questioning and seized various evidence but made no arrests.

    Of the injured, “all five have stab or cut injuries,” while one of them might also have been shot, police said in a press release.

    Sweden is well-known for its gang crime, especially in the urban areas of the Scandinavian country.”

  14. Germany: Acts of violence from left-wing extremists skyrocketed in 2020
    https://rmx.news/article/article/germany-acts-of-violence-from-left-wing-extremists-skyrocketed-in-2020

    “The number of violent acts committed by far-left extremists in 2020 skyrocketed compared to the previous year, according to data held by Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI).

    The Federal Interior Ministry (BMI) released the data following a request from Linda Teuteberg, a member of the Bundestag for the Free Democratic Party (FDP), a classically liberal party focused mainly on promoting economic liberalism, privatization, and free markets. According to the statistics, 1,359 violent crimes committed by far-left extremists were recorded last year, 29 percent more than were seen in 2019 (1,052), German weekly magazine Junge Freiheit reports.

    Documents released by the BMI also revealed that 9,973 far-left extremist crimes were identified and recorded last year, just over the 9,849 that were registered in the previous year.

    “In addition to the dynamic development of right-wing extremism and Islamism, the tendency in left-wing extremism to increasingly violent acts is also worrying. There is no ethical superiority of any variant of violent extremism and any trivialization of criminal activity as activism is prohibited,” Teuteberg told the German newspaper Die Welt.

    The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) noted that an analysis carried out by the secret service in 2020 indicated that a clear trend toward radicalization in the far-left extremist scene had been observed. The same analysis, which was released last year, cautioned against the “emergence of terrorist structures within far-left extremist scene”.

    “Serious physical injuries to the victims up to possible death are accepted approvingly,” the analysis reads.

    Planned actions by left-wing extremist groups span from “mass militancy” to “clandestine small group actions”, while goals have shifted “more and more often from an institutional level to a personal level”. Previous cases have shown that victims are increasingly tracked down”‘specifically” and are attacked in their own homes or “personal spaces of refuge”.

    The Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Saxony has noted that the problem of violent left-wing extremism in the city of Leipzig is particularly concerning.

    “The violence-oriented left-wing extremist scene is reaching a new level of escalation due to the criminal and violent acts it has committed,” the BfV Saxony reported.

    Last November, a 25-year-old student named Lina E., who also happens to be a prolific far-left extremist in Leipzig, was arrested at her apartment in Connewitz. Immediately upon her arrest, she was flown by officers in a helicopter to Karlsruhe, where the judge overseeing her case issued the arrest warrant.

    The 25-year-old student is accused of membership in a criminal organization, dangerous communal bodily harm, particularly serious breach of the public peace, including serious trespassing, robbery, property damage, and forgery of documents.

    Germany has not seen federal authorities go in and arrest prominent left-wing extremist figures since the days of the Red Army Faction (RAF) – a far-left militant extremist organization which engaged in bombings, kidnappings, bank robberies, and assassinations mainly in the 1970s.

    Investigators consider Lina E. to be a member of a left-wing extremist criminal organization that rejects the “existing democratic constitutional state”.

    Earlier this month, an arson attack was carried out against the state registration authority in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. Those investigating the case presume that the perpetrators have a left-wing extremist background.”