Wiki Leaks No Big Deal

By Micah Halpern

Tuesdday November 30, 2010
I've Been Thinking:
About the WikiLeaks
I don't find the fact that this information has been leaked unsettling.
Why? Everyone realizes that these things happen.
What I do find disturbing is that so much of the so-called "intel" is opinion, not fact.
That is truly troubling.
We should not be up in arms about the leaks.
Much of information could have been deduced by closely following each story. There were real-time leaks and rumors about many of the issues covered in regional and international press.
The unprofessional documents, writings and irresponsible requests should be brought to our - the public's - attention and to the attention of watchdog groups.
There is no place for ad hominem attack in diplomacy and intelligence.
Sadly, it appears that so much US foreign policy intel which was gathered and interpreted abroad is nothing more than opinion and personal feelings.
It is not intel and it is not analysis. It is not even raw information
These leaks allow tens of thousands more people - journalists, analysts and John Q. Public - to pour over the material.
The NYTimes was correct and showed responsible judgment in redacting confidential sources and the names of people who may be put in danger.
All this info is most probably available due to new hacking techniques.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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Terror in Portland

By Micah Halpern

Monday November 29, 2010
I've Been Thinking:
About: the Foiled Portland Terror Plot
aka a non-event turned into a successful publicity stunt for the Feds

The whole story highlights and is emblematic of some of the biggest problems with counter terror:
Was it important that they found, caught and arrested this 19 year old potential terrorist?
Certainly.
But ...
Like in so many cases, the "terrorist" had the bomb because the feds provided him with a bomb.
Yes ...
He had the will to murder masses, but had no ability and no technical skills to garner the money or the means to perpetrate an attack on his own.

I am not suggesting that he was entrapped.
But ...
If I was his lawyer, that would be my strategy - there would not have been any potential terror planned, had the Feds not provided the "terrorist" with all the necessary accoutrements to plan an attack.

The most important part of any terror bust is to find the connections to bigger fish and future cells - to get leads to controllers and operators outside the country and their links and organizations here at home.

This bust shows the dangers of the lone wolf and the intelligence limitations of the lone wolf. We have gained nothing other taking a would be killer off the streets on an attempted mass murder charge.

Plastering the story on the front pages does help raise awareness.
In other words, this was a non-event and a successful publicity stunt for the feds.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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Elections Today in Egypt

By Micah Halpern

Sunday November 28, 2010
I've Been Thinking:
Parliamentary elections are being held in Egypt today.
Official Egyptian government sources say that all is fair and that everything is in order - but international observers are up in arms.
Only 10% of those observers who requested permission have been permitted to observe anything in the polling stations.
Not only have opposition candidates complained of harassment - but those observers who did receive permission have also experienced pressure and intimidation.
There is little doubt about the role of democracy in Egypt. The world is watching and the Western world wants Egypt to liberalize - but that is highly unlikely.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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Jewish Bahrain's Upper Chamber

By Micah Halpern

Saturday November 27, 2010
I've Been Thinking:
Bahrain gets it.
Bahrain understands the dynamic and complexity of tradition in the modern world.
Yesterday King Khalifa appointed four women to serve on the Upper Chamber of the Shura, the equivalent of the consulting wing of Bahrain's parliament.
Of the four women: two were Muslim, one was Christian and one was Jewish.
The Shura itself is composed of 40 members - 30 members were invited to return and 10 were replaced.
The recent elections for Bahrain's Lower Chamber were also significant. The Lower Chamber is balanced by the Upper Chamber and, all in all, they serve to lend voice to and advise Malik al Bahrain, the King.
Despite their openness on certain issues, despite their understanding on blending modern and traditional values - moves for which they should be recognized and applauded, Bahrain is still a monarchy.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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Canada Says No to Durban III

By Micah Halpern

Friday November 26, 2010
I've Been Thinking:
The UN has decided to create a Durban III Conference to be held next September 21, 2011.
Durban was created to fight racism and turned into an anti- Israel and anti-Semitic festival.
Canada has already declared that they will not participate in Durban III. Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney declared that they have lost faith in the Durban process.
"Canada is clearly committed to the fight against racism, but the Durban process commemorates an agenda that actually promotes racism rather than combats it."
Durban III is worth watching. Watching who participates and watching how countries respond will be useful in understanding racism.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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PA Says No Jewish History at Wall

By Micah Halpern

Thursday November 25, 2010
I've Been Thinking:
Here are a few comments from the newly released five page official report of the Palestinian Authority about the Jewish connection to the Western Wall.
The author of the study is Al-Mutawakil Taha, deputy minister of information. The study itself, which is published on the official website of the Palestinian Authority, totally rejects any connection of Jewish history to the Wall or anywhere on the Temple Mount. It suggests that all of the history of the area is Muslim and Arab.
"This wall has never been a part of what is called the Jewish Temple."
Explaining why Muslims permitted Jews to pray at the Wall the paper asserts:
"it was Islamic tolerance which allowed the Jews to stand before it and cry over its loss."
No serious historian or archeologist promotes this thesis. And yet, it is the official point of view of the Palestinian Authority.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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Praying for Rain

Praying for Rain

By Micah Halpern

Wednesday November 24, 2010
I've Been Thinking:
There has been a drought in the Middle East. Rainfall is down 30%. And in Israel, Jews, Christians and Muslims are gathering to pray for rain.
The situation is so dire that the Chief Rabbinate has proclaimed a fast day. And yesterday 30 Jewish, Christian and Muslim women participated in a silent walk during which they visited important sites and at each stop, they prayed for rain.
There is a direct link between rain water and comfort and life in the Middle East.
Wells and reservoirs are filled by rainwater.
Irrigation and agriculture are dependant on rain.
Underground aquifers filter rain water and fill up water sources that provide drinking water for the region.
Rain water flows into and fills up lakes and rivers.
Today, even atheists in the Middle East are praying for rain.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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Iran Shuts Down Centrifuges

By Micah Halpern

Tuesday November 23, 2010
I've Been Thinking:
Iranians have shut down thousands of their uranium centrifuges.
Iranian nuclear enrichment has ground to a halt.
Iranian diplomats told AP about this nuclear crisis.
The Stuxnet computer worm has begun to take its toll. The objective of the worm was to knock out only the Iranian nuclear program - without hurting anything else. The great part of the worm is that it cannot be scanned, searched or quarantined.
The worm lies dormant until you turn on the nuclear program and then it disappears again after it has done its disruptive duty.
The Stuxnet may actually be the silver bullet, the bullet that everyone said never existed.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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Ahmadinejad Wants 16 Year Olds to Marry

By Micah Halpern

Monday November 22, 2010
I've Been Thinking:
It's important to listen to the statements made by world leaders. By listening we can learn a lot about a people, a country, a society.
Yesterday Iranian President Ahmadinejad announced in the official press that girls should marry at age 16 and 17.
He was quoted as saying, "we should take the age of marriage for boys to 20 and for girls to about 16 and 17."
Ahmadinejad was responding to the new reality in Iran.
The average age of marriage in Iran is now 24to 26 years old. For Ahmadinejad an increase in the average age at which Iranian citizens marry is a sign of the religious degeneration of Iran. It is a symbol of the West's victory over the Islamic Republic.
Ahmadinejad has to respond. Ahmadinejad is calling on Iranians to return to their traditional ways.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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PA Study Is Distrubing

By Micah Halpern

Sunday November 21. 2010
I've Been Thinking:
A recent study of the Palestinian public had very disturbing results.
58% of Palestinians felt the need to support armed struggle.
Armed struggle is a synonym for terror.
30% favored a two state solution.
60% chose an intermediate answer which says: "the real goal should be to start with two states but then move it to all being one Palestinian state."
Only 36% believe that direct talks are the only way to achieve a real solution.
This is deeply troubling.
It suggests that the Palestinian people are not primed for peace.
It suggests that Palestinian leadership has failed to set the groundwork for negotiations and for a peaceful mutual settlement.
It does not bode well for peace.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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US Will Put it in Writing

By Micah Halpern

Saturday November 20, 2010
I'm Predicting:
P.J. Crowley, the US State Department Spokesman, said on Friday that: "We continue our discussions with the Israelis. If there is a need to put certain understandings in writing, we will be prepared to do that."
Israel has said that they will not agree to temporarily suspend settlement activity until and unless the agreement and the promises given them by the United States are received in writing. It seems that the US is now willing to put pen to paper and put those commitments in written form.
BUT ... I predict that this written agreement will follow a similar letter of commitment from the Bush White House to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Under Bush the agreement was written and sent in the form of a letter and printed on White House stationary.
BUT ... the letter was not signed.
I would guess that this letter will not be signed either.
Signed or not, neither a White House letter nor even a presidential letter can be enforced as law.
BUT ... it can be used to publicly shame and embarrass the administration if they break their word.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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