Israeli Center Opened In Baghdad

[vierundzwanzig]

By Kamel al-Sharqi, IOL Correspondent

BAGHDAD, August 16 (IslamOnline.net) – An Israeli center said to be specialized in Mid Eastern studies was opened in the occupied Iraqi capital Baghdad, in a provocative move seen by Iraqi academics as the beginning of an Israeli scheme to infiltrate the Iraqi society.

"Israel opened its center on August 1 at a large rented building in Abu Nawaas St. overlooking The Tigris river," they told IslamOnine.net Friday, August 15.

The sources, who requested anonymity, said the center has already started operation, noting that it was the first Israeli center operating publicly in Baghdad since its downfall on April 9.

The heavily-guarded building, they said, obtained work permits from the U.S. occupation authority in Iraq and the Pentagon.

The Iraqis sources said the center is affiliated to the Washington-based MEMRI (short for the Middle East Media Research Institute), an Israeli association set up five years ago, with offshoots in London, Berlin and West Jerusalem.

http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2003-08/16/article02.shtml

[QuietStorm]

1. very interesting

not that surprising, although I did not know about the middle east media research institute being an israeli association. You know campus-watch.org at first glance looks to be a middle eastern studies organization but it isn't.

[beanball]

2. Sharon and his thugs

are in Iraq to help Bush and his thieves rob,kill and inflame the citizens,shame on you gov.Bush(you are not my president)

[estherc]

3. Islam on line is not a reliable source.

Read the rest of the article. Its total bunk. It says Israeli made hairdryers on the market in Iraq is proof that the whole invasion is an Israeli plot. IOL is convinced that Sharon's goal is a greater Israel from the Nile to the Euphrates. I seriously doubt if Memri has set up an office in Bagdad. There is no evidence that Memri is an arm of the Israeli government. There office is in DC.

There is a link to a cartoon posted on Memri depicting British and American tanks making a star of David, "published by memri" according to IOL, as if this shows that Memri supports the idea of a war being fought in Iraq with America and the British as Israel's proxy. If you follow the link you see that it posted a cartoon that originally appeared in a Saudi paper as criticism of propaganda that Israel and Jews control the US and the media.

[Equinox]

4. Actually, MEMRI is independent....

I could be wrong though. That's my opinion. I think MEMRI has more of a Palestinian slant to it. I don't think that it is run by Israel.

[vierundzwanzig]

5. The age-old taboo question

... Saudi paper as criticism of propaganda that Israel and Jews control the US and the media.

Anybody - East, West or in between making that presumption is automatically disqualified?

It's one of these taboo things nobody is allowed to mention.

On the other hand I would agree that dismissing MEMRI as purely Israeli/Jewish is probably taking a shortcut.

Though the section on their website entitled 'Arab-Antisemitism Documentation Project' is reminiscent of ADL.

Also, if you read the section on the Arab-Israeli conflict you will find a lot of effort discrediting Palestinian struggle.

Then read the section on 'Inter-Arab Relations'. Reading it makes me believe that all there is between Arab states is dissent and nobody can agree on anything anyhow.

'Reform in the Arab World' is yet another set of masterpieces targeting a collective 'savage' Arab world.

IMHO, a this is a thinly veiled attempt at appearing unbiased.

Maybe you get this confused with MERIP, which is an independent source of scholars.

MEMRI is ADL in sheep's clothing.

[QuietStorm]

7. What about

campus-watch.org. They look like a middle eastern studies organization, but I am under the impression this is also a RW Jewish organization. Do you know anything about them. campus-watches list of targetted academia is extensive.

[Aidoneus]

8. that's a Daniel Pipes front group

His father, Richard Pipes, played the role of "Cold War" propagandist, with the Russians as his subject of supposed "expertise", now the son is enthusiastically playing "Cold War #2" propagandist. To get an idea of where the family comes from, when Richard was on Reagan's NSC he was one of those to advocate preparing to start a "winnable" nuclear war against the USSR.

Though I have yet to see his Rightwing-Zionist son advocate nuclear weapons (YET--I don't rule that out and I may have missed something from his), this nut did not fall far from the tree. Pipes#2 is one of the pioneers in the field of Muslimeenhass(**), to borrow the term from an older version of mass indoctrination and xenophobic scapegoating.

And, of course, Pipes is Bush's pick to join the board of the "Institute of Peace"!, with all of the PNAC-type propagandists and militarist ideologues enthusiastically backing it. It's a bit odd, because up to now Bush has really gone out of his way to not appear as personally in line with the Islamophobic-mentality that his fanbase is (to much annoyance on occasion from the semi-fascist and religious elements who back him on everything else). I guess the ruling elite feels that W's veil can come off and the "nuke Mecca" and other semi-fascist elements can be openly coddled.

(**note--though I can't remember where I saw it before, I can't take credit for that term)

[StandWatie]

9. a friend of mine just got back from Washington

He went to visit the local congresscritter and he was leaving but he invited him along to go "watch me vote", many interesting things were said but at what point he was asked "So are we going to war against the entire Muslim world?" Don waxed philosophical but the house guy from Nebraska's face lit up at the suggestion and he smiled and nodded vigourously.

We are truly run by psychopaths.

[vierundzwanzig]

6. For further info on MEMRI

http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,773258,00.html

[estherc]

10. memri is regarded as accurate.

Every article I've read about memri has said that their translations are accurate. I would need some corroborating proof that they have an office in Bagdad. And what if they did, should Bagdad be Judenfree? Bagdad used to have well over 100,000 Jews there but they were expelled in the 40's, 50's and 60's. There are now 34 Jews left in Bagdad. Would a Jewish press organization having an office in Bagdad be an outrage. Don't you believe in freedom of the press.

I'd be more concerned about the accuracy of the article orginally posted on Islam on line that this thread is about. If you read the article its pretty obvious its bunk. I've seen other articles from Islam on Line claiming that Israel's goal is a "greater Israel" from the Nile to the Euphrates when there is absolutely no evidence of that. It totally flies in the face of all common sense.

[vierundzwanzig]

11. Indeed their translations are accurate

... it is more their choice of articles that is less than palatable.

It's a ploy, let's admit it. I wodner how they managed to get their 501(c)3 - Oh, I think I know.