Why Our Forces Were Told to ‘Stand Down’ in Benghazi

Why Our Forces Were Told to ‘Stand Down’ in Benghazi: The reason that the Navy SEALS were denied the support of a Spectre C-130U gunship was the same reason that the consulate had been left nearly unguarded. And it was the same reason that so many soldiers had died in Afghanistan because they had been denied air and artillery support or even the permission to open fire.

What happened in Benghazi was only extraordinary because it caught the attention of the public, but American soldiers in Afghanistan had been suffering under the same conditions ever since it was decided that winning the hearts and minds of Afghan civilians was more important than the lives of American soldiers.

The four Americans killed in Benghazi lived and died by the same code as thousands of Americans in Afghanistan. And that code overrode loyalty to one’s own people in favor of appeasing Muslims. The two former SEALS broke that code, violating orders by going to protect the consulate and were abandoned in the field by an administration that prioritized Muslim opinions over American lives.

From the post-American diplomatic perspective, the lives of a few Americans, who knew what they were getting into, was a small sacrifice to make when weighed against the potential of turning the entire Muslim world around. A Spectre gunship blasting away at an Islamist militia in the streets of Benghazi would have ended the fiction of a successful war in Libya and infuriated most of the Islamist militias. Worst of all, it would have made Americans seem like imperialists, instead of helpful aides to the Islamist transition of the Arab Spring. It would have ruined everything and so it was shut down.

The rise -- and fall? -- of Ehud Barak | The Times of Israel

The rise -- and fall? -- of Ehud Barak | The Times of Israel: ERUSALEM (AP) — He’s been Israel’s prime minister, military chief, the country’s most decorated soldier and, for the past five years, its defense minister and moderate face to the West.

Now Ehud Barak’s long and distinguished career might be coming to an end. He is unpopular with the public, and polls predict his Independence Party will barely make it into parliament in the Jan. 22 election, if at all. Most commentators predict his days in politics are numbered, but others say it may be too early to count the wily general out.

Israel used Sudan bombing as 'dry run' for attack on Iran, British newspaper claims | The Times of Israel

Israel used Sudan bombing as 'dry run' for attack on Iran, British newspaper claims | The Times of Israel: An Israel airstrike was behind the explosion last Wednesday at a Sudanese weapons factory, and that attack was a “dry run for a forthcoming attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities,” according to a weekend report in the Sunday Times of London, which also implied the seeds of the attack were planted in the 2010 alleged Mossad assassination of Hamas operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai.

More Jews praying on site also sacred to Muslims - latimes.com

More Jews praying on site also sacred to Muslims - latimes.com: On most days, dozens — sometimes hundreds — of Jewish worshipers ascend to the disputed 36-acre platform that Muslims venerate as Al Aqsa mosque and Jews revere as the Temple Mount with an Israeli police escort to protect them and a Muslim security guard to monitor their movements.

Then, they recite a quick prayer, sometimes quietly to themselves, other times out loud.

US tests Israeli-made weapons on pioneering drone ship | The Times of Israel

US tests Israeli-made weapons on pioneering drone ship | The Times of Israel: The US Navy tested an 11-foot naval drone capable of firing missiles at enemy vessels off the Maryland coast last week. The missile system and launcher were supplied by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.

Southern residents: We're living on borrowed time - Israel News, Ynetnews

Southern residents: We're living on borrowed time - Israel News, Ynetnews: "We're just waiting for the next 'Color Red' alert to sound," Mickey, a local resident, told Ynet. "We know it's coming, we just don't know when or where it will hit. We have 15 seconds to get to a bomb shelter but the chances of making it are slim, so we just take the kids to a room with no windows and use it as a protected space. It's a bit like Russian roulette."

CBS releases data about Israel's Muslim population - Israel News, Ynetnews

CBS releases data about Israel's Muslim population - Israel News, Ynetnews: The number of Muslims residing in Israel is currently 1,354,000, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported Thursday, ahead of the holiday of Eid al-Adha. The percentage of Muslims compared to the general population has dropped from 3.8% in 2000 to 2.5% in 2011.

Petraeus on Benghazi: It Wasn't Me

Petraeus on Benghazi: It Wasn't Me: Also today, the State Department shut down questions from reporters about Libya at a press briefing in Washington. The administration, as a whole, seems to have decided to say nothing further about Benghazi until after election--except for Petraeus, who was directly implicated by charges that the CIA failed to help, and who was thereby compelled to provide a response that points, inexorably, to the man in the Oval Office.

A Whiff of Weimar: The Greek Crisis Gets Worse | World Affairs Journal

A Whiff of Weimar: The Greek Crisis Gets Worse | World Affairs Journal: Last month, the Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras, warned Europe that his country was on the edge of a Weimar Germany-style social collapse. What I have seen on the streets of Athens convinces me this is not rhetoric. There is a violent far-right party, its MPs committing and inciting violence with impunity; a police force that cannot or will not prevent Golden Dawn from projecting uniformed force on the streets. And a middle class that feels increasingly powerless to turn the situation round.

The PJ Tatler � AC-130U Gunship was On-Scene in Benghazi, Obama Admin Refused to Let It Fire (Updated)

The PJ Tatler � AC-130U Gunship was On-Scene in Benghazi, Obama Admin Refused to Let It Fire (Updated): It was purpose-built for a select number of specific mission types, including point-defense against enemy attack. It was literally built for the kind of mission it could have engaged in over Benghazi, if the administration had let it fire. As the excerpt above clearly shows, we had assets on the ground “painting” the targets with the laser.

'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' read aloud in Greek parliament | The Times of Israel

'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' read aloud in Greek parliament | The Times of Israel: JTA — A lawmaker for Greece’s neo-Nazi Golden Dawn Party has read out in parliament a passage from the anti-Semitic forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

EXCLUSIVE: CIA operators were denied request for help during Benghazi attack, sources say | Fox News

EXCLUSIVE: CIA operators were denied request for help during Benghazi attack, sources say | Fox News: Fox News has learned from sources who were on the ground in Benghazi that an urgent request from the CIA annex for military back-up during the attack on the U.S. consulate and subsequent attack several hours later on the annex itself was denied by the CIA chain of command -- who also told the CIA operators twice to "stand down" rather than help the ambassador's team when shots were heard at approximately 9:40 p.m. in Benghazi on Sept. 11.

Detroit Jewish News Ad for Romney

Detroit Jewish News Ad for Romney 
Over 800 prominent Detroit Jews took out an ad in the Detroit Jewish News endorsing Mitt Romney for president.

U.S. Tests Missiles Over Pacific | Washington Free Beacon

U.S. Tests Missiles Over Pacific | Washington Free Beacon: In the “first ever integrated ballistic missile defense system test,” the United States’ military successfully tested three missile-defense systems over the Pacific Ocean, Lockheed Martin announced in a press release.

The test demonstrates “the integrated capabilities of today’s U.S. regional missile defense systems,” the press release said.

The three systems, made by Lockheed Martin, were the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile, and Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System.

U.N.'s war on Israel puts American economy in crosshairs | Washington Free Beacon

U.N.'s war on Israel puts American economy in crosshairs | Washington Free Beacon: The Washington Free Beacon has obtained a report soon to be released by the United Nations that calls for an international campaign of legal attacks and economic warfare on a group of American companies that do business in Israel, including Hewlett-Packard, Caterpillar Inc., and Motorola Solutions Inc.

The Human Rights Council (HRC), a body dominated by Islamic countries and known for its hostility to, and heavy focus on, the Jewish State, issued the report. The George W. Bush administration refused to participate in the HRC, but President Barack Obama joined it soon after taking office. Members of the HRC include infamous human rights abusers such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Libya, China, and Cuba.

Netanyahu, Liberman announce merger, pledge strong leadership | The Times of Israel

Netanyahu, Liberman announce merger, pledge strong leadership | The Times of Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman on Thursday night made official the news of a merger between their respective Knesset factions, Likud and Yisrael Beytenu, saying the new right-wing super-faction would improve governability in Israel and allow them to tackle burgeoning internal and external challenges facing the country.

Sudan: a front for Israel's proxy war on Sinai jihadis? | Reuters

Sudan: a front for Israel's proxy war on Sinai jihadis? | Reuters: If Israel bombed a Sudanese munitions factory, as Khartoum alleges, the raid was part of its widening proxy war against Islamist militants in neighboring Egypt which the Jewish state is reluctant to confront directly.

A huge explosion ripped through the factory near the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Tuesday, killing two people, with Sudan swiftly accusing Israel of sending four military planes to take out the complex.

Saving Sergeant Netanyahu | The Times of Israel

Saving Sergeant Netanyahu | The Times of Israel: Netanyahu left 12th grade at Cheltenham High School in Pennsylvania several days before graduation and returned to Israel in June 1967. Ben, as he was known to his American friends, wanted to one-up his older brother, Yoni, and join not just the Paratroops but Sayeret Matkal (the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit), a commando unit whose name, like God’s, was not to be spoken. The Unit, then still making a name for itself as Israel’s top outfit and forever seared into the public consciousness for the daring raid on Entebbe that cost Yoni Netanyahu his life, was at the time a Skull and Bones-type society: you had to be tapped by someone else in the unit in order to be accepted.

Boeing's Counter-Electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project - Business Insider

Boeing's Counter-Electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project - Business Insider: The Counter-Electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP), led by Boeing's Phantom works, promised to change the face of contemporary warfare, and its test was a complete success.

CHAMP flew over the Utah Test and Training Range last Tuesday, discharging a burst of High Power Microwaves onto the test site and brought down the compound's entire spectrum of electronic systems, apparently without producing any other damage at all. Even the camera recording the test was shut down.

Struggling to contain his enthusiasm, Boeing's Keith Coleman says, "We hit every target we wanted to. Today we made science fiction into science fact."

Escalation in Gaza

Escalation in Gaza
On Wednesday evening it was reported that on Tuesday night, an arms factory in Sudan’s capital of Khartoum was bombed by four planes. Sources in Sudan claimed the factory belonged to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard—confirming earlier statements to that effect in Arab media.

Reports on Israeli TV also claimed the factory was Iranian and stressed the fact that Khartoum is slightly more distant from Israel than Natanz and Fordo, Iran’s nuclear-enrichment plants.

Did Israel have a way to retaliate against the Gaza escalation and give Iran a message without attacking Gaza itself? Israeli officials including Defense Minister Ehud Barak stayed mum, neither confirming nor denying that was the case.

GAFFNEY: The real reason behind Benghazigate - Washington Times

GAFFNEY: The real reason behind Benghazigate - Washington Times: The evidence suggests that the Obama administration has not simply been engaging, legitimating, enriching and emboldening Islamists who have taken over or are ascendant in much of the Middle East. Starting in March 2011, when American diplomat J. Christopher Stevens was designated the liaison to the “opposition” in Libya, the Obama administration has been arming them, including jihadists like Abdelhakim Belhadj, leader of the al Qaeda franchise known as the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group.

‘It’s not rudeness, it’s chutzpah’ – an insider’s take on Israel’s startup success | VentureBeat

‘It’s not rudeness, it’s chutzpah’ – an insider’s take on Israel’s startup success | VentureBeat: But chutzpah is more than just being direct or honest – it also means daring to want what others can’t dream of or going after “impossible goals.” I have no idea what made Israelis think they can achieve anything to begin with, but it is clear that this is a mindset that is now handed from generation to generation.

80 rockets, shells fired from Gaza Wednesday; Israeli leaders warn of 'more extensive' military response | The Times of Israel

80 rockets, shells fired from Gaza Wednesday; Israeli leaders warn of 'more extensive' military response | The Times of Israel: Israeli leaders warned of a much intensified military response if the attacks continued. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of “a more extensive” response. Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the army was ready for “a far, far greater and wider response.” Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Israel would not maintain its restraint for many more days, and that Israel was “facing a serious escalation.”

Report: Islamist radicals find warm welcome in Obama White House | The Daily Caller

Report: Islamist radicals find warm welcome in Obama White House | The Daily Caller: White House visitor records show that administration officials have hosted numerous White House meetings with a series of U.S.-based Muslim political groups that have close ties to jihadi groups and push to reduce anti-terrorism investigations.

The visits were discovered by the Investigative Project on Terrorism, which compared the Obama White House’s visitor records with its database of Islamist advocacy groups.

First day of disaster drill shows Israel unprepared for catastrophe | The Times of Israel

First day of disaster drill shows Israel unprepared for catastrophe | The Times of Israel: At the end of the first day of Turning Point 6, military and government sources reported that Israel is inadequately prepared to handle earthquake emergencies, citing a lack of coordination between the army, the police and emergency services which, in turn, delayed the evacuation and medical-treatment services.

Did Obama Give Gloria Allred's Game Away?

Did Obama Give Gloria Allred's Game Away?: For several days, reports have circulated that attorney Gloria Allred--who always seems to surface when a Democrat is in trouble--is about to drop an “October surprise” on the Romney campaign.

Speculation has surrounded a story published last week by the left-wing website AlterNet, purporting to tell the story of women who claimed Mitt Romney advised them in the 1980s, in his capacity as a church leader, against having abortions.

Israel 'rattled' as country drills for massive earthquake, attack from the air | The Times of Israel

Israel 'rattled' as country drills for massive earthquake, attack from the air | The Times of Israel: Israel’s security forces are being tested rigorously in the upcoming days as they take part in two major drills aimed to test their ability to face both natural disasters and war.

The largest-ever joint Israeli and American military drill began on Sunday at the same time that the country’s emergency services were participating in their first earthquake preparedness drill.

New poll: Egyptians turning toward Iran, want nuclear weapons | The Cable

New poll: Egyptians turning toward Iran, want nuclear weapons | The Cable: A poll of Egyptians conducted last month shows that they have increasingly positive views of Iran, believe that both Iran and Egypt should obtain nuclear weapons, and still trust their own military more than any other institution in Egypt.

Iran's deputy defense minister said recently that the Iranian regime is seeking more military cooperation with Egypt. "We are ready to help Egypt to build nuclear reactors and satellites," he said on the occasion or Egyptian President Mohammed Morsy's meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last month. Morsy's office has said the two didn't discuss military cooperation. 

Israeli Navy boards Gaza-bound ship 'Estelle' - JPost - Defense

Israeli Navy boards Gaza-bound ship 'Estelle' - JPost - Defense: The ship, sailing under a Finnish flag, set sail in June and has stopped at numerous European ports trying to drum up support and publicity. The vessel, carrying over a dozen passengers, took on additional food and passengers off the coast of Crete earlier this week.

Among the new passengers are five European parliamentarians: Ricardo Sixto Iglesias from Spain, Sven Britton from Sweden, Aksel Hagen from Norway, and Vangelis Diamandopoulos and Dimitris Kodelas from Greece.

Preparing for war, Israel's North looks to lessons from 2006 | The Times of Israel

Preparing for war, Israel's North looks to lessons from 2006 | The Times of Israel: Caught off-guard by missiles’ reach during Second Lebanon War, officials now expect the unexpected

US, Israel to begin major air defense drill - Israel News, Ynetnews

US, Israel to begin major air defense drill - Israel News, Ynetnews: The US and Israel are embarking on the largest exercise in their long military relationship, against a backdrop of tension with Iran and sharp rhetoric in the American presidential election.


An air defense drill planned for late this month will involve more than 3,500 Americans and 1,000 Israelis, practicing their ability to work together against a range of threats facing the main US ally in the Mideast. Officials briefing reporters on Wednesday would not specify the exact date for security reasons.

Computer Viruses Are "Rampant" on Medical Devices in Hospitals - Technology Review

Computer Viruses Are "Rampant" on Medical Devices in Hospitals - Technology Review: Computerized hospital equipment is increasingly vulnerable to malware infections, according to participants in a recent government panel. These infections can clog patient-monitoring equipment and other software systems, at times rendering the devices temporarily inoperable.

While no injuries have been reported, the malware problem at hospitals is clearly rising nationwide, says Kevin Fu, a leading expert on medical-device security and a computer scientist at the University of Michigan and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who took part in the panel discussion.

Palestinians fired anti-aircraft missile at IDF helicopter, Israel says | The Times of Israel

Palestinians fired anti-aircraft missile at IDF helicopter, Israel says | The Times of Israel: JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli defense officials say that Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have for the first time fired an anti-aircraft missile at Israeli aircraft.

The officials say the militants fired the Strela shoulder-fired missile at an Israeli helicopter operating over Gaza last week, but missed their target.

'Drone beamed images of plans for joint Israel-US drill' - Israel News, Ynetnews

'Drone beamed images of plans for joint Israel-US drill' - Israel News, Ynetnews: The Iranian-made Hezbollah drone shot down over the Negev last week beamed back "images of secret Israeli military sites" and images of the preparations of the joint Israel-US military exercise, the Sunday Times reported.



The British publication's Tel Aviv-based correspondent Uzi Mahnaimi said that the drone was airborne for three hours before it was intercepted, and was able to relay "images of ballistic missile sites, main airfields and possibly the Dimona reactor."

Dozens of mayors push for BG Airport's relocation - Israel News, Ynetnews

Dozens of mayors push for BG Airport's relocation - Israel News, Ynetnews: "We are all asking for one thing: Let us sleep in peace. It doesn’t' make sense that flight paths are disturbing so many people. In any other part of the world, airports are located in outskirts of cities. The airport should be relocated to the Negev and connected by express train to the center."



The petition, signed by some 30 mayors, aims to promote the notion that a relocation plan will release an area of approximately 7,413 acres, which will enable urban development projects worth more than NIS 50 billion (roughly $13.4 billion).

Iran may induce 'environmental disaster' in Strait of Hormuz, Der Spiegel reports | The Times of Israel

Iran may induce 'environmental disaster' in Strait of Hormuz, Der Spiegel reports | The Times of Israel: Iran is considering the option of artificially producing an enormous environmental disaster that would affect the entire region, in order to punish its enemies and force the West to decrease the sanctions against the regime, Der Spiegel reported on Sunday.

According to Western intelligence agencies quoted by the the German news weekly, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have developed a secret plan to intentionally cause an oil tanker to contaminate the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Hezbollah’s CFO flees to Israel carrying stolen money, classified documents

Hezbollah’s CFO flees to Israel carrying stolen money, classified documents: The news website, Now Lebanon, cited Hezbollah officials saying that the 29-year old telecommunication engineer, Hussein Fahs, has crossed to Israel carrying with him $5 million in embezzled money from the group. Fahs is also head of Hezbollah’s operational communications network.

Unnerved by attacks, Swedish Jews refuse to lower their profile | The Times of Israel

Unnerved by attacks, Swedish Jews refuse to lower their profile | The Times of Israel: The rallies against anti-Semitism in Sweden — at least 10 so far — began last December, when a few Malmo synagogue-goers decided to keep wearing their kippas after services and, in violation of security protocol, marched with them through town. Several more “kippa walks” followed, all organized by members of the community through Facebook.

Anti-Semitic attacks in France rise 45 percent this year | The Times of Israel

Anti-Semitic attacks in France rise 45 percent this year | The Times of Israel: Of the incidents this year,101 were “violent actions,” SPCJ said, including the slaying of four people at a school in Toulouse on March 19 by Mohamed Merah, a Muslim extremist. The attack triggered “an explosion” of anti-Semitic attacks, SPCJ said. Most other incidents documented were cases of intimidation, the report said.

Israeli Leftists Ditching Labor for Olmert? � Commentary Magazine

Israeli Leftists Ditching Labor for Olmert? � Commentary Magazine: Those polls show Netanyahu’s Likud and current coalition partners, which include Shas and Israel Beiteinu, holding together about 62 to 68 seats, which means they could potentially strengthen their current coalition without having to expand it to other parties. Again, it’s still early, but the left has two fresh faces in Yachimovich and Lapid who are poised to make a serious run in the next election. For the leftist commentariat, putting their hope in Olmert instead is a strange gamble. It may pay off, but it also may very well backfire in spectacular fashion.

Iran's proxy Hezbollah takes responsibility for downed drone, confirms it was manufactured by Iran - Atlas Shrugs

Iran's proxy Hezbollah takes responsibility for downed drone, confirms it was manufactured by Iran - Atlas Shrugs: The leader of the Lebanese
terrorist group Hezbollah on Thursday claimed responsibility for
launching a drone aircraft that was shot down over Israel earlier this
week, saying the UAV had been assembled by Hezbollah men using parts
provided by Iran. The rare admission by Hassan Nasrallah raises regional
tensions at a sensitive time when the group’s backers, Syria and Iran,
are under pressure.

Dreamliner lands in Israel for first time - Israel Travel, Ynetnews

Dreamliner lands in Israel for first time - Israel Travel, Ynetnews: A Boeing 787 (Dreamliner) aircraft landed at Ben-Gurion Airport for the first time Tuesday with a commercial Ethiopian Airlines' flight from Addis Ababa.

FSA threatens to take fight to Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut | News , Politics | THE DAILY STAR

FSA threatens to take fight to Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut | News , Politics | THE DAILY STAR: BEIRUT: Syrian rebels said they have detained 13 Hezbollah members and threatened to take the fight to Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs unless the party ends its support for President Bashar Assad’s regime.

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Bidendebateprep.jpg (JPEG Image, 500�נ358 pixels)

Germany Debates Proposal To Protect Circumcision – Forward.com

Germany Debates Proposal To Protect Circumcision – Forward.com: Berlin — A proposal to enshrine circumcision of male children as a protected procedure that Jews and Muslims could continue without fear of sanction faces an uncertain fate in Germany’s Bundestag, say close observers of German politics.

The proposal heading to the parliament aims to calm a storm that erupted last May after a Cologne court ruled that a botched circumcision violated the child’s rights because it constituted “illegal bodily harm” even with parental consent. Though strictly local in its jurisdiction, the ruling’s novel application of child rights law set off a furor of concern about the future legal status of circumcision nationwide.

Barack Obama, debate moderator wedding guest | The Daily Caller

Barack Obama, debate moderator wedding guest | The Daily Caller: President Barack Obama was a guest at the 1991 wedding of ABC senior foreign correspondent and vice presidential debate moderator Martha Raddatz, The Daily Caller has learned. Obama and groom Julius Genachowski, whom Obama would later tap to head the Federal Communications Commission, were Harvard Law School classmates at the time and members of the Harvard Law Review.

With eye on Syria, US deploys forces to Jordan | The Times of Israel

With eye on Syria, US deploys forces to Jordan | The Times of Israel: Speaking at a NATO conference of defense ministers in Brussels, Panetta said the US has been working with Jordan to monitor chemical and biological weapons sites in Syria and also to help Jordan deal with refugees pouring over the border from Syria.

But the revelation of US military personnel so close to the 19-month-old Syrian conflict suggests an escalation in the US military involvement in the conflict, even as Washington pushes back on any suggestion of a direct intervention in Syria.

Obama’s ring: ‘There is no god but Allah’

Obama’s ring: ‘There is no god but Allah’: Now, newly published photographs of Obama from the 1980s show that the ring Obama wore on his wedding-ring finger as an unmarried student is the same ring Michelle Robinson put on his finger at the couple’s wedding ceremony in 1992.

Moreover, according to Arabic-language and Islamic experts, the ring Obama has been wearing for more than 30 years is adorned with the first part of the Islamic declaration of faith, the Shahada: “There is no god except Allah.”

Israeli army deploys Patriot missile days after its warplanes shot down unidentified drone that flew into its airspace | Mail Online

Israeli army deploys Patriot missile days after its warplanes shot down unidentified drone that flew into its airspace | Mail Online: The Israeli army has deployed a missile defence system near the Lebanese border, just days after its warplanes shot down an unidentified unmanned aircraft.

The Patriot surface-to-air missile was deployed from Israel's northern city of Haifa, an army spokesman said today.

He refused to say if the battery's deployment came in response to Saturday's drone, which was widely believed to have originated in Lebanon.

Angela Merkel Athens: Protestors dress as Nazis, burn swastikas and throw rocks at police | Mail Online

Angela Merkel Athens: Protestors dress as Nazis, burn swastikas and throw rocks at police | Mail Online: Greek police fired teargas and stun grenades at protesters in central Athens on Tuesday when they tried to break through a barrier and reach visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Around 50,000 demonstrators defied a ban on protests, gathering in Syntagma square to voice their displeasure with the German leader. Some wore Nazi uniforms and others burned swastika flags, while one left police dumbstruck by running through the city naked.

Police were pelted with rocks, bottles and sticks as demonstrators tried to break through a barricade set up to protect Merkel and her delegation, who were meeting with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras at his office several hundred metres away.

Before dissolving, Knesset to reconvene next week - Israel News, Ynetnews

Before dissolving, Knesset to reconvene next week - Israel News, Ynetnews: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to move up the elections for the 19th Knesset has turned the parliament's schedule upside down. The lawmakers, who were expected to convene for a lengthy, action-packed winter session on October 15 will now report only for a few hours before breaking for the campaign season.

Afterlife exists says top brain surgeon - Telegraph

Afterlife exists says top brain surgeon - Telegraph: Dr Alexander says he had heard stories from patients who spoke of outer body experiences but had disregarded them as "wishful thinking" but has reconsidered his opinion following his own experience.

He added: "I know full well how extraordinary, how frankly unbelievable, all this sounds. Had someone even a doctor told me a story like this in the old days, I would have been quite certain that they were under the spell of some delusion.

US-Israel reportedly discussing joint 'surgical strike' on Iran | The Times of Israel

US-Israel reportedly discussing joint 'surgical strike' on Iran | The Times of Israel: Israel and the US are reportedly working on a limited joint attack on Iran aimed at setting the country’s nuclear program back several years without inflaming the region, a source close to talks between the nations said.

National Geographic denies politics influenced release of pro-Obama film before election | The Daily Caller

National Geographic denies politics influenced release of pro-Obama film before election | The Daily Caller: National Geographic Channel President Howard Owens denied Thursday that the network’s decision to air a pro-Obama video just two days before the November election was motivated in any way by political considerations.

“Harvey obviously doesn’t schedule our network,” Owens said, referring to The Weinstein Co. Co-chairman Harvey Weinstein, whose company is producing “Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama bin Laden,” a thriller based on President Barack Obama’s decision to kill al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. “[We're] not political. We are opportunistic, from a programming perspective.”

Congress to probe security flaws for Libya diplomats | KTVQ.com | Q2 | Billings, Montana

Congress to probe security flaws for Libya diplomats | KTVQ.com | Q2 | Billings, Montana: Lt. Col. Wood has told CBS News and congressional investigators that his 16-member team and a six-member State Department elite force called a Mobile Security Deployment team left Libya in August, just one month before the Benghazi assault. Wood says that's despite the fact that US officials in Libya wanted security increased, not decreased.

Study: Omega-3 Supplements May Actually Affect Aging - Lindsay Abrams - The Atlantic

Study: Omega-3 Supplements May Actually Affect Aging - Lindsay Abrams - The Atlantic: CONCLUSION: Getting enough omega-3 fatty acid to change the balance of oils in your system may help preserve the length of your telomeres, with the potential to reduce the risk of age-related diseases.

Soldiers ordered not to shoot Taliban mine planters.... 'because it WAKES UP the locals' | Mail Online

Soldiers ordered not to shoot Taliban mine planters.... 'because it WAKES UP the locals' | Mail Online: Soldiers were ordered not to open fire on Taliban fighters planting mines in case they disturb local people, it has been claimed.

U.S. military chiefs ordered troops to exercise 'courageous constraint' and even warned them they could be charged with murder if they shot any Taliban without permission from above.

The claims were made by a former Royal Marine who spoke out following the inquest into the death of Sergeant Peter Rayner last week.

BH Interview: Dennis Prager Wants Carolla's 'Luck' to Rub Off on University Students

BH Interview: Dennis Prager Wants Carolla's 'Luck' to Rub Off on University Students: Carolla has been listening to Prager’s radio show for years, but the conservative talker wasn’t up on Carolla’s shtick until recently. When someone suggested Carolla appear on Prager’s radio show, the veteran talk show host admits he wasn’t sure what to expect.

“I was smitten immediately with both his remarkable wit and the speed of his mind and his values,” Prager says. The two quickly slipped into a performance groove, something to which those who see their joint act can attest. Their live act isn't what some may expect, brushing past their individual personas to reveal new, unexpected shadings.

The Dementia Plague - Technology Review

The Dementia Plague - Technology Review: The latest global demographic analysis, from a World Health Organization report issued earlier this year, paints the dimensions of that slow-motion catastrophe in quick strokes. An estimated 36 million people worldwide currently suffer from dementia; experts predict the number will double, to approximately 70 million, by 2030 and triple by 2050. (China, India, and Latin America in particular face daunting medico-economic crises.) Since the prevalence of the disease doubles with every five-year age increment after 65, projections for 2050 put the total global population at risk for dementia (people 65 or older) at two billion.

France's Hollande vows more security to allay Jewish fears | Reuters

France's Hollande vows more security to allay Jewish fears | Reuters: French President Francois Hollande pledged on Sunday to increase security around synagogues and introduce tougher anti-terrorism measures, a day after a series of police raids dismantled a radical Islamist network that targeted Jews.

Barak, Netanyahu 'agree on all Iran-related issues' - Israel News, Ynetnews

Barak, Netanyahu 'agree on all Iran-related issues' - Israel News, Ynetnews: After accusing defense minister of stoking feud with Obama, Netanyahu summons Barak to reprimand him over 'uncoordinated meeting' with Rahm Emanuel. After meeting, Barak says 'we see eye-to-eye on every aspect of Iranian threat and US ties'

Israel checking: Was drone headed to Dimona? - Israel News, Ynetnews

Israel checking: Was drone headed to Dimona? - Israel News, Ynetnews: The IDF is working to improve its aerial detection and interception capabilities in light of the changes in the Middle East and due to the fact that Israel's enemies have upgraded their military capabilities. The army is placing an emphasis on detecting drones, fearing that they may be used as a missile to target Israeli strategic sites.


"In the next war Syrian and Iranian drones will also be sent on 'suicide' missions," a senior Air Force official recently told Ynet.

IDF shoots down drone that penetrated deep into Israel | The Times of Israel

IDF shoots down drone that penetrated deep into Israel | The Times of Israel: The IDF shot down a foreign drone that had penetrated deep into Israeli airspace on Saturday afternoon, flying for half an hour before it was intercepted.

After an initial investigation, military officials said the unmanned aerial vehicle, which was taken down north of Beersheba, did not come from the Gaza Strip, leading the army to consider the possibility that it originated in Lebanon. Hezbollah has flown drones into Israeli airspace a few times in the past, though not for several years.

IDF Spokesperson Yoav Mordechai said that the Israeli Air Force was able to identify the unmanned aerial vehicle while it was flying over the Mediterranean, and that the IAF stayed close to the drone throughout its flight over Israel until the decision was made to shoot it down in the northern Negev desert.

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Red Bull's Stratos Mission To Attempt World Record Skydive | Popular Science

Red Bull's Stratos Mission To Attempt World Record Skydive | Popular Science: But a few things are certain. For a short time inside his pressurized spacesuit, Baumgartner will be the fastest man alive. Thirty seconds after leaping from a small capsule, in fact, he'll exceed the speed of sound in the thin upper atmosphere by traveling 690 mph. And if he safely parachutes to the ground between 12 and 15 minutes later, he'll walk away with at least four new world records: the highest skydive, the longest free fall, the first to reach supersonic speeds in free fall, and the highest manned balloon ride.

Bypassing Israel, French capital endorses unprecedented agreement with 'East Jerusalem' | The Times of Israel

Bypassing Israel, French capital endorses unprecedented agreement with 'East Jerusalem' | The Times of Israel: France’s most populous administrative zone, encompassing the capital Paris, has signed a cooperation agreement with the Palestinian district of Jerusalem, a move organizers say is designed to send a “political message” of solidarity with the Palestinians and their aspirations for a future capital in the city.

The French region described the agreement as the “first of its kind.”

The decision is a blow to Israel’s claim that the eastern sector is part of its united capital. A spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry said east Jerusalem “does not exist” as a separate entity and that the French council was “living in a make-believe world.”

Min. Edelstein: Netanyahu, Fire Barak - Inside Israel - News - Israel National News

Min. Edelstein: Netanyahu, Fire Barak - Inside Israel - News - Israel National News: Minister of Public Information and Diaspora, Yuli Edelstein (Likud), called on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Thursday to fire Defense Minister Ehud Barak (Independence).

Following Ehud Barak's latest meetings in the United States, Edelstein told IDF Radio: "As early as three years ago, I warned that the Defense Minister's frequent trips to the U.S. usually ended badly for the state of Israel.

Exclusive: Former CIA Official: Obama 'October Surprise' Airstrike in Libya 'Would Be Criminal'

Exclusive: Former CIA Official: Obama 'October Surprise' Airstrike in Libya 'Would Be Criminal': Two days ago, the New York Times reported that the administration was preparing an operation inside Libya, including the possibility of drone strikes. Breitbart News reported yesterday that a senior Department of Defense official said that the administration was advance planning for a “substantial air package” that could include manned flights.

Union's Anti-Romney Ad Chock Full of Garbage

Union's Anti-Romney Ad Chock Full of Garbage: In an attempt to paint Mitt Romney as an uncaring extremist, many accusations have been hurled against him, but a new video put out by the AFSCME has taken this rhetorical technique to new extreme. The union literally accuses the Republican presidential candidate of not caring about garbageman in La Jolla, California because he has not given them Gatorade or hugged them.

Fetishizing Holocaust Tattoos � Commentary Magazine

Fetishizing Holocaust Tattoos � Commentary Magazine: For some grandchildren of survivors and others who care about the subject, that has led to a bizarre fad in which they have taken to having the numbers that the Nazis branded on the survivors tattooed on their own arms. As a New York Times feature published on Monday shows, this phenomenon has grown from isolated instances to what must considered a trend with large numbers of youths in Israel. While the motives behind this seem pure, one cannot help but wonder at anyone embracing a practice whose purpose was to dehumanize captive Jews. While survivors who lived long enough eventually saw that most considered those numbers to be a badge of honor rather than a mark of shame, the act of fetishizing this evidence of the Nazis’ crimes seems like something that says more about the current generation than it does about the experience of the survivors.

Egyptian-Iranian intelligence meeting prompts fears of a new Middle East terror axis | Washington Free Beacon

Egyptian-Iranian intelligence meeting prompts fears of a new Middle East terror axis | Washington Free Beacon: U.S. intelligence agencies recently monitored a secret meeting between Egypt’s intelligence chief and a senior Iranian spy that is raising new fears the Muslim Brotherhood government in Cairo could begin covertly supporting global terrorism.

China unveils new stealth jet photos during Panetta visit | Washington Free Beacon

China unveils new stealth jet photos during Panetta visit | Washington Free Beacon: China’s military for the second time in two years upstaged a visiting U.S. defense secretary by disclosing the first photographs of its second stealth jet under development.

Obama slandered America as racist using dishonest claims about the response to Hurricane Katrina | Power Line

Obama slandered America as racist using dishonest claims about the response to Hurricane Katrina | Power Line  
The Daily Caller has obtained and posted video of a 2007 speech by Barack Obama in Hampton, Virginia. Speaking to an audience of black ministers, and using a black dialect only marginally more authentic than Joe Biden’s, Obama claims that the U.S. government shortchanged Hurricane Katrina victims because of racism. As the Daily Caller says, “the effect is closer to an Al Sharpton rally than a conventional campaign event.”

France Kosher Store Bomb Explosion Injures 4

France Kosher Store Bomb Explosion Injures 4: PARIS — A small package bomb exploded inside a kosher grocery store in a Paris suburb Wednesday, wounding at least one person, according to an agency that tracks anti-Semitic attacks in France.

Ikea deleted women from Saudi version of catalogue - Yahoo! News

Ikea deleted women from Saudi version of catalogue - Yahoo! News: Ikea is being criticized for deleting images of women from the Saudi version of its furniture catalogue, a move the company says it regrets.

Comparing the Swedish and Saudi versions of the catalogue, free newspaper Metro on Monday showed that women had been airbrushed out of otherwise identical pictures showcasing the company's home furnishings.