CatHouse Chat

Jane Novak: Yemen's Paladin of Freedom

UPDATE: Jane will be on CNN today at 2:30 (eastern time) for an interview [UPDATE - It got bumped due to news of Sen. Kennedy's brain tumor], and on BBC by phone at 6:30pm - be sure to tune in! [/update]

My Cotillion blog sister, Jane Novak who blogs at Armies of Liberation, is the subject of a major article in the New York Times today:

Ms. Novak does not fit the profile of a dilettante in exotic causes. A former sales manager for a textile company, she speaks with a distinct Brooklyn accent, having grown up in Flatbush. When a Yemeni government minister visited the United States last year and invited the notorious “Jane,” as she is known throughout Yemen, to go to Washington for a meeting, she turned him down. “It was too much, the money, the kids, all for a one-day trip,” she said.

Nor does she have any background in Middle East studies. One of her opponents in Yemen accused her of being a Zionist member of Aipac, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. “I had to Google it,” Ms. Novak said with a chuckle. “I didn’t know what it was.”

It was after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that Ms. Novak, who used to work not far from the World Trade Center, first took an interest in the Arab world. “I thought it would be a good idea to write in the English-language Arabic press on subjects we could all agree on, freedom of the press, equality, stuff like that,” she said.

Through her efforts on behalf of Yemeni democracy and freedom, Jane was contacted by Abdul Karim al-Khaiwani, a Yemeni journalist currently imprisoned and facing a probable death penalty - all because he did his job and reported the truth of what was happening in Saada Province with the Houthi Rebellion.

She says her campaign is a matter of basic principle. “This is a country that lets Al Qaeda people go free, and they’re putting a journalist on trial for doing his job?” she said. “It’s just completely crazy.”

But Ms. Novak does admit to a personal interest in the case. She and Mr. Khaiwani have become close friends, though they have never met, and neither speaks the other’s language. One of the charges against him is receiving a cellphone text message from her, as part of an alleged plot (which he denies) to aid the Houthi rebels in northern Yemen.

“The penalty for this crime is usually death,” Mr. Khaiwani said during an interview at his home in the Yemeni capital, Sana, in January. A lanky 42-year-old with large, piercing eyes and a dark sense of humor, he has already been jailed four times by the authorities in connection with his journalism. Last year he was kidnapped and beaten by men he says were plainclothes police officers.

Mr. Khaiwani added, with a broad smile: “If you add to this my relationship with Jane Novak, it means the death penalty for sure.”

I urge you to add your name to the petition to demand that the Yemeni government free al-Khaiwani, and remove restrictions on journalists. The Yemeni government harbors and helps terrorists, and - as evidenced by their release of the convicted USS Cole bombers - has no real interest in fighting terrorism. Please join with Jane and scores of other people, and hopefully truth and justice will prevail for the people of Yemen - and al-Khaiwani will be freed.

SIGN UP NOW TO FREE AL-KHAIWANI!!!

UPDATE: Here's a pretty complete list of people blogging about this (thank you, Nicki!!)

• The Birthplace of the Process of Illogical Logic
• PoliGazette
• Fausta's Blog
• Conservative Belle
• My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
• International Herald Tribune
• Nice Deb
• The Cotillion
• Yeah, Right, Whatever
• Jihad Watch
• Talk Islam
• Cathouse Chat
• The Jawa Report
• Tigerhawk
• Texas Sparkle
• Crossroads Arabia
• Exit Zero
• Tech Republican
• Villainous Company
• Louisiana Conservative
• Hooah Wife and Friends
• Titus One Nine
• National Review Online (NRO)
• RightWingSparkle
• Alabama Improper
• politburo diktat 2.0 (ACE)
• Bill Doskoch
• Free Republic
• Atlas Shrugs
• The Home of Two of Jonah's Military Guys
• Alarabiya
• Redstate
• The American Mind (Sean Hackbarth)
• Blatherings
• Bill Boushka
• NeoConstant
• Time / CNN
• Little Miss Attila
• A View from England
• E the People (en español)
• Politics after 50
• Steal the Bandwagon
• The Reservoir
• Merri Musings
• Free Mark Steyn (link)
• The Jawa Report Radio Edition (click to listen)

Urgent request for support!

My friend and fellow Cotillion member, Jane Novak, has been blogging regularly and brilliantly about the corruption of the Yemeni government at her blog, the Armies of Liberation (she is also a contributor at the Jawa Report). The government of Yemen has little or no regard for human rights, and actively suppresses journalists who seek to uncover and promote the truth.

One of the most recent examples of this is Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani -

Renowned journalist Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani is one of Yemen's most prominent democracy advocates - for which he has paid a steep price. His paper has been closed, his website blocked, and his children threatened. He is now due to be sentenced on May 21 for "insulting the president" and "demoralizing the military."

During his arrest in June of 2007, Al-Khaiwani was beaten and his six-year-old daughter slapped unconscious. While released on bail in August, Al-Khaiwani was kidnapped and tortured by thugs who threatened his life if he continued to write about Yemen's president.

There is a petition up to protect media freedom in Yemen, and I am asking my readers to please go sign it. Jane has been working hard on this man's behalf, and to try and help bring democracy and journalistic freedom to Yemen. As a matter of fact, she's become a bit of a bête-noir and a thorn in the flesh to the Yemeni government!

So, any and all support would be much appreciated!

UPDATE: Here's Jane's post at Armies of Liberation (scroll down, it's halfway down the page), and her post at Jawa; both have lots of links to additional information.

Also:

• Nitallica
• MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
• Not Ready for My Burqua
• SixMeat Buffet
• Zoey at Blatherings
• Conservative Belle
• Alabama Improper
• Dread Pirate Bluto
• Villainous Company
• Stop the ACLU
• Nice Deb
• Right Wing Liberal
• Yemen Free Media

Stick a fork in him - he's done...

... either that, or he's a prime candidate for the loony bin:

Former President Jimmy Carter said Monday that Hamas is prepared to accept the right of Israel to "live as a neighbor next door in peace." [link]

Former President D'jimmi al-Qatar needs to align his mind with what has proven to be reality for almost 40 years - Hamas, Palestine, and the whole Islamic mess over there has never been truthful, has never kept its promises, and will never cease trying to destroy Israel.

Carter is wilfully blind to the lies these terrorists live by, and he is disgracing his former office and the country he once led (which is no surprise; he was a disgracefully inept leader). His anti-semitism is disgusting, and his hatred for the truth is obvious.

I join with Rep Myrick's demand to SecState Condoleeza Rice to revoke this stupid idiot's passport... Frankly, I'd love to revoke his citizenship...

Well, what did you expect?!

When you act like dhimmis, you get treated like dhimmis:

The top U.N. rights body on Thursday passed a resolution proposed by Islamic countries saying it is deeply concerned about the defamation of religions and urging governments to prohibit it.

The European Union said the text was one-sided because it primarily focused on Islam.

The U.N. Human Rights Council, which is dominated by Arab and other Muslim countries, adopted the resolution on a 21-10 vote over the opposition of Europe and Canada. [emph. mine] (source)

In other words, "Free speech? What's that?"

Europe, if you don't take a STRONG stand NOW, and insist that the Muslims afford you every respect and courtesy they desire for themselves, you're going to either convert to Islam, start paying the dhimmi tax and learning what the Jews felt like in Nazi Germany... Or you'll be dead.

Does Europe really want to open the door - however slightly - to Sharia law for EVERYONE?

And as for America... To my country I would say "See what is hapening in Europe? That's going to happen here, if we don't stand strong upon the foundation of freedom given to us by God and our Founders."

"Oh, wait, Kat - you just mentioned 'God.' Doesn't that make you the same as those who want to enforce Sharia law?"

No. You note that, although BECAUSE [thanks to my bog-brother Jim Bowden] our Founders and original citizens were mostly Christian, they gave us a framework which today allows us to say pretty much anything we want, without fear of our heads being whacked off by the religious police - just to start.

(FURTHER EDIT; I note that the God of Creation, the God who humbled Himself and lived amng us and Who DIED for us is big enough and strong enough to take slurs, accusations, denigration, and blasphemy... He is SO big, SO powerful, and SO perfect, that He permits us our "free speech" to try to bring Him down...

"allah" however, is so small, so weak, so insignificant [not a problem when "allah" is simply a non-god-demon of false religion], that "allah" must insist that no one may investigate his claims or his commands or his spokesmen.

"allah" is no god - he is a demon and weak, controlling, petty-ante nobody of a demon who just wants to enslave and demean humanity and control them so they live in hate versus compassion, love, justice and holiness. He maintains his power through fear and deception.

So, pffffft! to "allah" - little wannabe that he is!)

For those of my American readers, who think that

they [want] to stop the growing worldwide trend of using religious anti-defamation laws to limit free speech

I would invite them to leave America and go live in an Islamic country - and try to retain the freedoms we take for granted here. Have fun.

Freedom isn't free, folks. It takes vigilance and perseverance, and determination... Which is in decline in Europe, and which is well under way here in America.

Oh, I love the Aussies!!!

UPDATE: AAAAIIIGGGHHH!!!! I don't know how it happened, but I entered the wrong embed code. Thanks to Scott telling me, it's fixed now... I hope!

Brilliant, guys! *NEVER* submit to criminal behavior!

Maybe Cuba will be free soon...

One can only hope and pray!

FOXNews.com - Fidel Castro Resigns Cuban Presidency:

An ailing, 81-year-old Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba's president Tuesday after nearly a half-century in power, saying he will not accept a new term when parliament meets Sunday.

Couldn't happen soon enough... Make sure you go over to Babalu for all the latest and greatest news on Cuba!

*IS* China the upcoming economic giant?

Apparently not. Very intriguing article...

China, it turns out, isn't a $10-trillion economy on the brink of catching up with the United States. It is a $6-trillion economy, less than half our size. For the foreseeable future, China will have far less money to spend on its military and will face much deeper social and economic problems at home than experts previously believed.

What happened to $4 trillion in Chinese gross domestic product? [...]

The political consequences will be felt far and wide. To begin with, the U.S. will remain the world's largest economy well into the future. Given that fact, fears that China will challenge the U.S. for global political leadership seem overblown. Under the old figures, China was predicted to pass the United States as the world's largest economy in 2012. That isn't going to happen.

Also, the difference in U.S. and Chinese living standards is much larger than previously thought. Average income per Chinese is less than one-tenth the U.S. level. With its people this poor, China will have a hard time raising enough revenue for the vast military buildup needed to challenge the United States.

Very interesting! Of course, the article talks about the readjustment made in the statistical formulas, which makes me a bit skeptical (I'm not numbers-minded, remember?), but it's a good read.

"Come Home!"

Michael Yon tells the story as only he can, using simple, clear words and eloquent pictures.

Some excerpts:

It was the local Muslims, according to LTC Michael, who first came to him for help to protect the Christians in his area. That’s right. LTC Michael told me more than once that the Muslims reached out to him to protect the Christians from al Qaeda. Real Muslims here are quick to say that al Qaeda members are not true Muslims. [...]

The Muslims in this neighborhood worry that other people will take the homes of their Christian neighbors, and that the Christians will never come back. And so they came to St John’s today in force, and they showed their faces, and they said, “Come back to Iraq. Come home.” [...]

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any fighting. I can’t remember my last shootout: it’s been months. The nightmare is ending. Al Qaeda is being crushed. The Sunni tribes are awakening all across Iraq and foreswearing violence for negotiation. Many of the Shia are ready to stop the fighting that undermines their ability to forge and manage a new government. This is a complex and still delicate denouement, and the war may not be over yet. But the Muslims are saying it’s time to come home. And the Christians are saying it’s time to come home.

Read the whole thing!

Columbia University President Lee Bollinger showed moral courage

I am so glad that my blog-brother, Jerry Fuhrman, posted this video:

Mr. Bollinger, I was immensely skeptical of and disgusted with Columbia University's decision to permit Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at your facility. With this speech, however, you have done much to redeem your institution's reputation.

Bravo, sir! Bravo!

UPDATE: Here's a transcript, and a lovely quote which the video, above, does not include:

... Let's then be clear at the beginning. Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator. And so I ask you -- (applause) -- and so I ask you, why have women, members of the Baha'i faith, homosexuals and so many of our academic colleagues become targets of persecution in your country? Why, in a letter last week to the secretary-general of the U.N., did Akbar Ganji, Iran's leading political dissident, and over 300 public intellectuals, writers and Noble Laureates express such grave concern that your inflamed dispute with the West is distracting the world's attention from the intolerable conditions in your regime within Iran, in particular the use of the press law to ban writers for criticizing the ruling system? Why are you so afraid of Iranian citizens expressing their opinions for change?

In our country, you are interviewed by our press and asked to speak here today. And while my colleagues at the law school -- Michael Dorf, one of my colleagues, spoke to Radio Free Europe, viewers in Iran a short while ago on the tenants of freedom of speech in this country -- I propose further that you let me lead a delegation of students and faculty from Columbia to address your universities about free speech with the same freedom we afford you today. (Applause.)

Secondly, the denial of the Holocaust. In a December 2005 state television broadcast, you described the Holocaust as "a fabricated legend." One year later, you held a two-day conference of Holocaust deniers. For the illiterate and ignorant, this is dangerous propaganda.

When you have come to a place like this, this makes you, quite simply, ridiculous. ...

Technorati Tags: Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, Mahmoud Amadinejad

Jimmy Carter (or is it "D'jimmi al-Qa'tar"?) suffering from foot in mouth again

Thanks to the Vodkapundit (Steven Green), I just read this news article which says:

Former President Jimmy Carter said Wednesday that it was almost inconceivable that Iran would "commit suicide" by launching missiles at Israel.

[...]

"Iran is quite distant from Israel," said Carter, 83. "I think it would be almost inconceivable that Iran would commit suicide by launching one or two missiles of any kind against the nation of Israel."

[...]

Carter did not dismiss the idea that Iran might want to attack Israel, noting Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment production despite two United Nations resolutions imposing sanctions on the country. Tehran insists its nuclear program is aimed at producing energy for civilian use but the U.S., its European allies and many others fear the program's real aim is to produce nuclear weapons.

"Obviously, we all hope we can do whatever we can to keep Iran from becoming a nuclear power," Carter said.

Oh, D'jimmi, D'jimmi... Remember this?

Israeli officials are treating Iran's latest claims that it has 600 Shihab-3 missiles aimed at targets throughout the country the same way it treated Teheran's claims last month to have crossed a key nuclear threshold: by listening carefully, but not believing everything they hear.

[...]

Earlier Monday, an Iranian Web site affiliated with the regime reported that 600 Shihab-3 missiles were pointed at targets throughout Israel and would be launched if either Iran or Syria were attacked.

"Iran will shoot 600 missiles at Israel if it is attacked," the Iranian news Web site, Assar Iran, reported, saying such a barrage would "only be the first reaction."

According to the report, dozens of locations throughout Iraq being used by the US Army have also been targeted. The Shihab missile has a range of 1,300 km. and can reach anywhere in Israel.

Yeah, Iran would LOVE to attack Israel. No, Israel is NOT too far away fro Iran. And "...it's inconceivable that Iran would commit suicide by launching... missiles of any kind..."?

Hello? The country has a president who's a nutjob!

D'jimmi, you're 83 years old. You've done a lot (of harm) already. Why don't you just go on home, relax, and enjoy your retirement (in silence)? Believe me, it's probably the greatest thing you'll ever do for your country.