Mr. Fried’s linked article is obnoxious, including the linked contention that Israel “sucks” money from the US or anybody else, especially in view of contributions made by Israel to global progress in general and in spite of the wars and terror against its people, against which it is expensive to defend.

Much of the aid to Israel is in the form of loan guarantees which stipulate that the money must be spent in the US. The loan guarantees would not be necessary at all if the Israelis weren’t under existential military pressure all the time and reparations wouldn’t have been paid to Jews had the Shoah not exterminated most of the Jewish people in Europe and stolen the assets of their families and businesses.

Subsequently the uprooting and looting of Jews was repeated in the Middle East where nearly a million Arab Jews fled, many losing all they owned in the process. For years they had been attacked in pogroms and were threatened in very direct terms with extinction as have been the people of Israel.

Note the people attacking Israel are armed by oil-rich nations which derive their wealth not from creativity but rather from an accident of nature. These same wealthy nations are also helping incite the violence against Israel and the Arab League has had a boycott in place since 1931. They are joined in their efforts with misguided groups and individuals in the West, some very wealthy and elite.

Their attacks on Israel are counterproductive as a means of alieviating the misery of the Palestinians whom they claim to defend, nor do they improve conditions for other peoples in the Middle East; thus one has difficulty in seeing their actions as anything but antisemitic.

As far as numbers are concerned, a slight majority of the world’s total Jewish population lives in Israel. Most of the rest live in the US with scattered populations, some significant, around the world and (also making contributions).

Some of these populations are under extreme threat and/or are just about extinct, for example the Jewish population in the Arab world. It is important to recognize the fact that the global Jewish population is about 2 million less than it was before the Shoah. The most recent population to flee was the handful remaining in Yemen, which has been attacked so violently in recent years that most have now departed, losing their homes and livelihoods in the process.

Many other diaspora Jews have been attacked, for example in the huge city of Mumbai Chabad House was specifically targetted as have been Jewish community centers in South America, Jewish tourists on planes and boats, terrorists even in the US have menaced and harmed us, and Jews everywhere are threatened by vile bigotry approaching the viciousness of Nazi Germany.

Now. Can we please go from a discussion of Jewish accomplishments back to the OT, which I believe was extremism that is co-opting the message of Islam?

“Comrade Awlaki! I salute your courage, your strength, your indefatigability! Comrade Awlaki? What are you doing with that sword? But Comrade Awlaki! I’m a member of the SWP! The Socialist Workers Party! I am your Comrade! Please Comrade Awlaki! Put the sword down!! Can’t we just talk about it!!! Here, have my copy of Das Kapital!! Take my Ipod!! What are you DOING!!!!!!! Help, help*!!!”

* obviously not “help” as in “from the British Army”

As long as Begg & his ilk are at large in the civilised world
there is a danger that their poisonous views will be disseminated
to still more gullible lost souls who should not be in Europe
in the first place

Happily integrated “moderate muslims” of course do not come
under this characterization.

It’s just occurred to me you could be referring to Awlaki, for instance.

Are you?

I can think of lots of unpleasant characters who have been imprisoned without trial.

Presumably – by your logic – all their views are beyond criticism.

Don’t embarrass yourself.

Although the last thing Awlaki said to me was if I could get help him find a copy of a book by a convicted terrorist: Nelson Mandela (Long Walk to Freedom) I wonder if its terribly surprising if an Imam who once condemned the attacks on the World Trade Centre as unIslamic acts, after suffering abuse I know only too well US agents to be capable of, now allegedly lauds the Fort Hood shootings deeds of heroism?

What an idiotic equivalence.