Steve Bannon gave a speech to a Vatican conference sponsored by a right-wing Catholic organization. It's eye-opening, not because we ever needed proof that Bannon was an alt-right extremist, but because it sets these disturbing views down clearly on the page for all to read. One of the things that strikes me is how unoriginal, how derivative the ideas are. … [Read more...]
Nice Attack Motive Questioned: Killer Was Troubled Sex Addict, Not Violent Jihadi
Though it runs counter to the official French and Islamophobic narrative, news sources probing the background of Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, the Nice attacker, are finding little evidence he was motivated by jihadism. Rather, he was a violent, but petty criminal who made his living as a bisexual prostitute on the French Riviera. UPDATE: a long-time … [Read more...]
Why “Reform” Islam?
With the world-wide fallout over the Paris attacks and ISIS' bloody role in them, pundits and journalists have been falling all over themselves opining on how we got here. There has been no end of breast-beating about Islam: what's wrong with Islam that it produced such monsters? Can Islam be reformed? I think the question is entirely wrong. How many … [Read more...]
Shabak Claims to Uncover ISIS Cell in Israeli Palestinian Town
The above headline isn't precisely correct. Shabak believes it's exposed an ISIS cell in Umm al-Fahm, a Palestinian town in Israel. But it hasn't yet publicly made this claim. Instead, it's "disappeared" one resident, Muhammad Mahajna, as I reported yesterday. According to a loal source, today he was permitted a meeting with his attorney. Also today, … [Read more...]