Dec 18, 2009
The Coalition Against Radical Islam Grows
I never thought I would be circulating something Thomas Friedman (New York Times) wrote, but I must congratulate him on his latest article and share it with others. He is openly and clearly speaking out against the rise of radical Islam here in America and for that I give him credit. If you have not read the article, please do. It shows that fighting the Islamist radicalization movement in America is not confined to Republican-leaning individuals or groups. This fight faces us all - Conservative and Liberal - Muslim and non-Muslim, and we simply must unite to defeat it.
Let’s not fool ourselves. Whatever threat the real Afghanistan poses to U.S. national security, the “Virtual Afghanistan” now poses just as big a threat. The Virtual Afghanistan is the network of hundreds of jihadist Web sites that inspire, train, educate and recruit young Muslims to engage in jihad against America and the West. Whatever surge we do in the real Afghanistan has no chance of being a self-sustaining success, unless there is a parallel surge — by Arab and Muslim political and religious leaders — against those who promote violent jihadism on the ground in Muslim lands and online in the Virtual Afghanistan.
Last week, five men from northern Virginia were arrested in Pakistan, where they went, they told Pakistani police, to join the jihad against U.S. troops in Afghanistan. They first made contact with two extremist organizations in Pakistan by e-mail in August. As The Washington Post reported on Sunday: “ ‘Online recruiting has exponentially increased, with Facebook, YouTube and the increasing sophistication of people online,’ a high-ranking Department of Homeland Security official said. ... ‘Increasingly, recruiters are taking less prominent roles in mosques and community centers because places like that are under scrutiny. So what these guys are doing is turning to the Internet,’ said Evan Kohlmann, a senior analyst with the U.S.-based NEFA Foundation, a private group that monitors extremist Web sites.”
The Obama team is fond of citing how many “allies” we have in the Afghan coalition. Sorry, but we don’t need more NATO allies to kill more Taliban and Al Qaeda. We need more Arab and Muslim allies to kill their extremist ideas, which, thanks to the Virtual Afghanistan, are now being spread farther than ever before.
Only Arabs and Muslims can fight the war of ideas within Islam. We had a civil war in America in the mid-19th century because we had a lot of people who believed bad things — namely that you could enslave people because of the color of their skin. We defeated those ideas and the individuals, leaders and institutions that propagated them, and we did it with such ferocity that five generations later some of their offspring still have not forgiven the North.
Islam needs the same civil war. It has a violent minority that believes bad things: that it is O.K. to not only murder non-Muslims — “infidels,” who do not submit to Muslim authority — but to murder Muslims as well who will not accept the most rigid Muslim lifestyle and submit to rule by a Muslim caliphate.
What is really scary is that this violent, jihadist minority seems to enjoy the most “legitimacy” in the Muslim world today. Few political and religious leaders dare to speak out against them in public. Secular Arab leaders wink at these groups, telling them: “We’ll arrest if you do it to us, but if you leave us alone and do it elsewhere, no problem.”
How many fatwas — religious edicts — have been issued by the leading bodies of Islam against Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda? Very few. Where was the outrage last week when, on the very day that Iraq’s Parliament agreed on a formula to hold free and fair multiparty elections — unprecedented in Iraq’s modern history — five explosions set off by suicide bombers hit ministries, a university and Baghdad’s Institute of Fine Arts, killing at least 127 people and wounding more than 400, many of them kids?
Not only was there no meaningful condemnation emerging from the Muslim world — which was primarily focused on resisting Switzerland’s ban on new mosque minarets — there was barely a peep coming out of Washington. President Obama expressed no public outrage. It is time he did.
“What Muslims were talking about last week were the minarets of Switzerland, not the killings of people in Iraq or Pakistan,” noted Mamoun Fandy, a Middle East expert at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London. “People look for red herrings when they don’t want to look inward, when they don’t want to summon the moral courage to produce the counter-fatwa that would say: stabilizing Iraq is an Islamic duty and bringing peace to Afghanistan is part of the survival of the Islamic umma,” or community.
So please tell me, how are we supposed to help build something decent and self-sustaining in Afghanistan and Pakistan when jihadists murder other Muslims by the dozens and no one really calls them out?
A corrosive mind-set has taken hold since 9/11. It says that Arabs and Muslims are only objects, never responsible for anything in their world, and we are the only subjects, responsible for everything that happens in their world. We infantilize them.
Arab and Muslims are not just objects. They are subjects. They aspire to, are able to and must be challenged to take responsibility for their world. If we want a peaceful, tolerant region more than they do, they will hold our coats while we fight, and they will hold their tongues against their worst extremists. They will lose, and we will lose — here and there, in the real Afghanistan and in the Virtual Afghanistan.
Dec 17, 2009
When Will America Wake Up?
How any Member of Congress, Senator, senior Administration official or military leader can read the following article and not understand that this is wrong and must stop is unbelievable to me. My boss is mentioned in the article. She gets it. She and a few other members understand the danger and are trying to do something about it. But most people in authority refuse to accept that this is really happening. WAKE UP!
The following is a reprint of Paul Sperry's excellent editorial in the Investor Business Daily from yesterday. Paul is a noted author of the books Infiltration and Muslim Mafia.
IBD Editorials Viewpoint
The Terrorist-Certified Chaplains Who Minister To Muslim Soldiers
By PAUL SPERRY Posted 06:30 PM ET December 16, 2009
By PAUL SPERRY Posted 06:30 PM ET December 16, 2009
IBD Special Series:Jihadist 5th Column: Part 1
Lost in all the coverage of accused Islamic terrorist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's penetration of the military's officer corps is a deeper problem within the military ‹ its radical Muslim chaplain corps.One of the groups the Pentagon turns to for clerics to minister to its growing ranks of Muslim soldiers is the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council. The group was founded by presumed "moderate" Muslim leader Abdurahman Alamoudi, who described his endeavor as "an excellent opportunity to show my community we have people who are patriotic."This flag-waving patriot turned out to be one of al-Qaida's top fundraisers in the U.S., and is now serving 23 years in federal prison."Alamoudi placed chaplains throughout our military," said Rep. Sue Myrick, a Republican member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. "He's now in jail, (but) the chaplains are still in their current positions."Alamoudi's group sponsored Army Muslim chaplain Yousef Yee, the formerly accused spy who ministered to more than 600 detainees at Gitmo, many of whom have been released only to return to violent jihad.Alamoudi, who was given power of attorney by several Gitmo detainees, even persuaded the Pentagon to let an al-Qaida-tied Saudi charity fly planeloads of Muslim-American soldiers to Mecca.The Pentagon's other official endorser of Muslim chaplains is the Islamic Society of North America, or ISNA, which the Justice Department recently blacklisted as an unindicted terrorist co-conspirator.These two radical groups accredit chaplains trained chiefly by the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences, which is run by a radical imam also recently named an unindicted terrorist co-conspirator. After Northern Virginia-based GSISS was raided by federal agents after 9/11, the imam changed its name to Cordoba University.It's still churning out Muslim chaplains. In fact, 10 of the 14 Muslim chaplains serving in the military graduated from GSISS ‹ including Navy Lt. Cmdr. Abuhena Saifulislam, who was handed the keys to the new Quantico mosque.Saifulislam (Arabic for "Sword of Islam") ministered to Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun before he deserted his Iraq unit, citing disapproval of the war as a Muslim. Hassoun has been charged with desertion and larceny.Another GSISS alumnus ‹ Army Capt. Mohammed Khan ‹ was Sgt. Hasan Akbar's chaplain. Akbar is the Muslim traitor who fragged fellow soldiers on the eve of the 101st Airborne's push into Iraq. Akbar's grenade and rifle attack killed two soldiers and wounded 14, taking out of action key personnel in charge of planning troop movements.The military's Muslim chaplains are backed up by more than 100 lay leaders. Most of them have been trained by the Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences in America, which is part of Saudi Arabia's state-run university system.One of the institute's former trainers happens to be Hasan's mentor ‹ the radical cleric Anwar Awlaki, who met privately with the hijackers and who U.S. intelligence now believes to be a top al-Qaida recruiter. Awlaki worked for the Saudi Embassy as both lecturer and hajj tour guide while leading prayers at a Washington-area mosque attended by Hasan and the hijackers.Hasan himself acted as a lay leader at Fort Hood in the absence of a Muslim chaplain, Maj. Khalid Shabbaz, who transferred from the post just before the massacre. Shabazz's previous stint was at Gitmo, where he was seen by guards as sympathetic to al-Qaida prisoners.It's not known if Hasan radicalized any of Fort Hood's 165 Muslim soldiers. But investigators are looking closely at one of his proteges, Duane Reasoner. A substitute teacher whose parents worked at the base, he was converted to Islam by Hasan. Of the massacre victims, Reasoner said: "In the end, they were troops who were going to Afghanistan and Iraq to kill Muslims. I honestly have no pity for them."Lest any soldiers at Fort Hood adopt Hasan's thinking, the Army has dispatched Muslim chaplain Maj. Dawud Agbere from Fort Leavenworth to counsel them. Where'd Agbere get his Islamic training? The radical GSISS.Extremism isn't confined to Fort Hood. At North Carolina's Fort Bragg, home of the Airborne and Special Operations Forces, the post chaplain ‹ who happens to be the same Muslim preacher who counseled Akbar ‹ runs a Shariah-compliant mosque with a separate back entrance for "sisters." Only men can enter through the main doors.Are chaplains and lay leaders counseling Muslim soldiers to secretly support jihad? Are they helping mold extremist views? Brass haven't the foggiest. They refuse to even question them and their religious accrediting bodies, claiming it would be "legally problematic" under constitutional rules separating church and state.Meanwhile, they're hosting Iftar dinners for them at the Pentagon, site of the worst Islamic terror in history. This year's Ramadan celebration ‹ held just weeks before Hasan's alleged rampage ‹ was the largest ever, drawing an overflow crowd of some 200 Muslims.Who organized the event? Zadil Ansari, the Pentagon's own Muslim prayer leader ‹ who happens to be a protege of Alamoudi, the al-Qaida terrorist. Ansari is tied to the radical Saudi institute that trained as many as 100 of the military's lay leaders.The Islamist penetration of the Pentagon doesn't stop there. It goes all the way to the top, as we'll see in tomorrow's final installment.€ Sperry, a Hoover Institution media fellow and former IBD Washington bureau chief, is the author of "Infiltration" and the new book "Muslim Mafia."http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=515484
Dec 16, 2009
Union County Speech at Jesse Helms Center (Photos)
I enjoyed meeting and speaking earlier this week with a select group of Union County high schoolers engaged in a mock Congress study session at the Jesse Helms Center in Wingate. We had a lively discussion and I appreciated the thoughtful questions. Our future is in good hands if these young people run the country one day.
Dec 9, 2009
Photos from North Mecklenburg Republican Women's Club Speech
I had the privilege of addressing the North Mecklenburg Republican Women's Club up in Huntersville last night. I spoke about homeland security and terrorism related matters. Had a great time and enjoyed all the questions and comments.
Dec 8, 2009
New Job Listings on Capitol Hill
December 7, 2009
Unpaid Intern - The Office of Congressman Bill Shuster (PA-09) is seeking unpaid interns for the Spring of 2010 in his Washington, DC office. Candidates should be self-motivated, team players that are ready to work in a faced-paced environment. The internship will provide individuals with an opportunity to gain a hands-on experience in a Congressional office while gaining a valuable understanding of the Legislative Branch of the Federal Government. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: answering phones, sorting constituent mail, attending committee hearings and briefings for staff, data entry, and giving tours of the Capitol. Although this position is unpaid, we will work with the student to fulfill requirements for school credit programs. Interested candidates should e-mail a cover letter, resume, and 1-3 page writing sample to PA09jobs@gmail.com with Spring Internship in the subject line.
December 3, 2009
Press Secretary - Midwest Republican Congressman in search of an energetic, driven, and media savvy press secretary. Candidate should possess strong writing skills and have a firm grasp of major policy issues. Candidate should also be a highly-motivated self-starter who is able to handle a variety of tasks simultaneously, including drafting statements, speeches, and press releases; devising an overall media strategy – both online and print; and managing communication with and inquiries from the media. Looking for a team player who embraces new challenges and brings a “no job is too small” attitude to the job. Capitol Hill experience is preferred. Please email resume and 2 writing samples to press.secretary2010@gmail.com
Legislative Correspondent - Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ-07) seeks a Legislative Correspondent (LC) for his Washington office. Candidate must have demonstrated knowledge of the legislative process, excellent writing, and organization skills. The ideal applicant will have some Hill experience, knowledge of Internet Quorum (IQ), significant writing experience, and be able to handle a large volume of mail. New Jersey/Northeast ties are preferred, but not required. Interested applicants should email resume, cover letter and writing sample to NJ07jobs@mail.house.gov. No phone calls, faxes or drop-offs please.
Spring Interns - The office of Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao currently has openings for Spring Internships in the Washington, D.C. office. Responsibilities include answering phones, greeting visitors in the front office, organizing and distributing mail, managing tour requests of the Capitol and other government facilities, and assisting legislative staff in research and writing projects. Strong writing skills and Louisiana ties are desired. Please email cover letter, resume, and references to jobswithcao@gmail.com with “Spring Internship ‘10” for the subject line.
Unpaid Internship - Republican Governor is requesting resumes for hard working, detail oriented, and self motivated students interested in a unique and active internship program in his Washington, D.C. Office. The candidate will gain valuable intergovernmental experience learning the state’s role in Federal Relations. You must be friendly, have basic administrative skills, and the drive to work hard in a small office environment. Please email resume to mailto:craig@nevadadc.org .
Unpaid Intern - The Office of Congressman Bill Shuster (PA-09) is seeking unpaid interns for the Spring of 2010 in his Washington, DC office. Candidates should be self-motivated, team players that are ready to work in a faced-paced environment. The internship will provide individuals with an opportunity to gain a hands-on experience in a Congressional office while gaining a valuable understanding of the Legislative Branch of the Federal Government. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: answering phones, sorting constituent mail, attending committee hearings and briefings for staff, data entry, and giving tours of the Capitol. Although this position is unpaid, we will work with the student to fulfill requirements for school credit programs. Interested candidates should e-mail a cover letter, resume, and 1-3 page writing sample to PA09jobs@gmail.com with Spring Internship in the subject line.
December 3, 2009
Press Secretary - Midwest Republican Congressman in search of an energetic, driven, and media savvy press secretary. Candidate should possess strong writing skills and have a firm grasp of major policy issues. Candidate should also be a highly-motivated self-starter who is able to handle a variety of tasks simultaneously, including drafting statements, speeches, and press releases; devising an overall media strategy – both online and print; and managing communication with and inquiries from the media. Looking for a team player who embraces new challenges and brings a “no job is too small” attitude to the job. Capitol Hill experience is preferred. Please email resume and 2 writing samples to press.secretary2010@gmail.com
Legislative Correspondent - Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ-07) seeks a Legislative Correspondent (LC) for his Washington office. Candidate must have demonstrated knowledge of the legislative process, excellent writing, and organization skills. The ideal applicant will have some Hill experience, knowledge of Internet Quorum (IQ), significant writing experience, and be able to handle a large volume of mail. New Jersey/Northeast ties are preferred, but not required. Interested applicants should email resume, cover letter and writing sample to NJ07jobs@mail.house.gov. No phone calls, faxes or drop-offs please.
Spring Interns - The office of Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao currently has openings for Spring Internships in the Washington, D.C. office. Responsibilities include answering phones, greeting visitors in the front office, organizing and distributing mail, managing tour requests of the Capitol and other government facilities, and assisting legislative staff in research and writing projects. Strong writing skills and Louisiana ties are desired. Please email cover letter, resume, and references to jobswithcao@gmail.com with “Spring Internship ‘10” for the subject line.
Unpaid Internship - Republican Governor is requesting resumes for hard working, detail oriented, and self motivated students interested in a unique and active internship program in his Washington, D.C. Office. The candidate will gain valuable intergovernmental experience learning the state’s role in Federal Relations. You must be friendly, have basic administrative skills, and the drive to work hard in a small office environment. Please email resume to mailto:craig@nevadadc.org .
Unpaid Interns - The Office of Congressman Paul Broun (GA-10) is seeking unpaid interns for the Spring of 2010 in his Washington, DC office. This internship is a perfect opportunity to gain Capitol Hill experience for individuals with an interest in public policy. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, greeting visitors, answering phones, sorting constituent mail, data entry, conducting Capitol tours, occasionally attending hearings, and assisting staff members. Applicants should have basic knowledge of the legislative system and possess strong organization and communication skills. Georgia ties are preferred but not required; energetic, hard working self-starters that have the ability to multi-task and work well under pressure are encouraged to apply. This position can be either full or part-time with flexible scheduling available. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to GA10internship@gmail.com, with “Spring Internship” in the subject line. No drop ins or phone calls please.
Unpaid interns - Republican Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) is seeking unpaid interns for the Spring of 2010. Candidates should have an interest in public policy. Interns will have the opportunity to attend committee hearings and briefings for staff members, assist in the constituent correspondence process, as well as assist with other constituent services. Responsibilities include: taking phone calls, processing constituent mail, and performing other general office duties. Applicants should be interested in the legislative process, enthusiastic, reliable, and hard-working. Full or part time internships with flexible schedules are available. Candidates who reside in Virginia’s First Congressional District are preferred. Interested candidates should fax their resume and cover letter to (202) 225-4382 or email gordon.neal@mail.house.gov.
November 23, 2009
Scheduler – Rep. John Fleming M.D. (LA-04) is seeking a highly motivated individual to fill the position of Scheduler/Office Manager. Responsibilities include processing all Washington scheduling requests, coordinating Member and staff travel to and from the district, processing and handling the administrative portion of a congressional office. Ideal candidate must have exceptional organizational and communication skills and be willing to work in fast pace setting. Knowledge of Microsoft Outlook is required. Hill or other scheduling experience is a major plus. Starting pay commensurate with experience. Please send resume and cover letter to jasho@comcast.net Please reference the scheduler opening in subject line. Address your email to the Chief of Staff, Mr. Dana Gartzke.
November 23, 2009
Scheduler – Rep. John Fleming M.D. (LA-04) is seeking a highly motivated individual to fill the position of Scheduler/Office Manager. Responsibilities include processing all Washington scheduling requests, coordinating Member and staff travel to and from the district, processing and handling the administrative portion of a congressional office. Ideal candidate must have exceptional organizational and communication skills and be willing to work in fast pace setting. Knowledge of Microsoft Outlook is required. Hill or other scheduling experience is a major plus. Starting pay commensurate with experience. Please send resume and cover letter to jasho@comcast.net Please reference the scheduler opening in subject line. Address your email to the Chief of Staff, Mr. Dana Gartzke.
November 19, 2009
Legislative Assistant - Southern Republican office is seeking a legislative assistant to handle a variety of issues including small business, energy, environment, and education. Candidates must have capitol hill experience as a legislative assistant or legislative correspondent, an absolute minimum of 1-2 years experience. Experience with new media and managing email databases is a plus. Applicant must have excellent communications skills, written and oral.. Submit resume to Legislativeassistant09@gmail.com.
Legislative Assistant - Southern Republican office is seeking a legislative assistant to handle a variety of issues including small business, energy, environment, and education. Candidates must have capitol hill experience as a legislative assistant or legislative correspondent, an absolute minimum of 1-2 years experience. Experience with new media and managing email databases is a plus. Applicant must have excellent communications skills, written and oral.. Submit resume to Legislativeassistant09@gmail.com.
Paid Internship - A Midwestern conservative Republican is currently seeking pro-life conservative internship applicants with a good work ethic to start immediately for the winter/spring semester. This internship provides an opportunity to observe and interact with the inner-workings of a Congressional office, as well as provide learning opportunities though attending hearings, briefings, conducting tours of the Capitol, and assisting office staff with various duties and projects. Full-time interns will receive a one time stipend of $500 at the end of the internship. Interested parties should send a resume, cover letter, and references to hillinternship11@gmail.com. Midwest ties preferred but not required.
Unpaid Interns - Congressman C.W. Bill Young is seeking unpaid interns who are interested in gaining experience in a congressional office and assisting the Congressman with general intern projects. Main responsibilities include assisting the Congressman with a constituent survey, performing general office duties, drafting letters, researching legislative issues and conducting tours of the Capitol. Candidates should be self-motivated, flexible, responsible, enthusiastic, team-players and computer-literate. This is a great opportunity for college students seeking to gain academic credit and on-the-job experience with current legislative issues. Interested candidates should e-mail their cover letter and resume to Jenifer Nawrocki at jenifer.nawrocki@mail.house.gov.
Unpaid Interns - Congressman C.W. Bill Young is seeking unpaid interns who are interested in gaining experience in a congressional office and assisting the Congressman with general intern projects. Main responsibilities include assisting the Congressman with a constituent survey, performing general office duties, drafting letters, researching legislative issues and conducting tours of the Capitol. Candidates should be self-motivated, flexible, responsible, enthusiastic, team-players and computer-literate. This is a great opportunity for college students seeking to gain academic credit and on-the-job experience with current legislative issues. Interested candidates should e-mail their cover letter and resume to Jenifer Nawrocki at jenifer.nawrocki@mail.house.gov.
November 16, 2009
Spring Interns - Congressman Ted Poe’s office is seeking unpaid interns for the Spring 2010 semester. Main responsibilities include answering phones, drafting letters, researching legislative issues, attending meetings/hearings as needed and giving tours of the Capitol. Candidates should be self motivated, enthusiastic, a team-player, flexible, and computer-literate. This is a great opportunity for college students seeking to gain academic credit. Candidates interested in gaining experience with the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees are encouraged to apply. Texas ties a plus. Please e-mail your cover letter and resume to Johnna Carlson at johnna.carlson@mail.house.gov.
Spring Interns - Congressman Ted Poe’s office is seeking unpaid interns for the Spring 2010 semester. Main responsibilities include answering phones, drafting letters, researching legislative issues, attending meetings/hearings as needed and giving tours of the Capitol. Candidates should be self motivated, enthusiastic, a team-player, flexible, and computer-literate. This is a great opportunity for college students seeking to gain academic credit. Candidates interested in gaining experience with the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees are encouraged to apply. Texas ties a plus. Please e-mail your cover letter and resume to Johnna Carlson at johnna.carlson@mail.house.gov.
Internships - The Office of Congresswoman Kay Granger is looking for bright, motivated, and responsible students who are interested in gaining experience in legislative affairs to apply for spring and summer internships in our Washington, DC office. The internships provide students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a Representative’s office and to acquire a fuller understanding of the Legislative Branch of the Federal Government. Students pursuing all courses of study will be considered. No minimum GPA is required, however good communication, analytical skills, and academic excellence will reflect favorably on the candidate. Applicants must be a sophomore, junior or senior. Although this position is unpaid, we will work with the student to fulfill requirements for school credit programs. Intern Duties include: *Conduct tours of the Capitol, *Attend committee hearings and write briefs, *Perform constituent services, *Assist with federal inquiries, *Assist staff with projects, *Complete intern assignments as requested. Please email the following information to whitney.marion@mail.house.gov : application (to download, visit http://kaygranger.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=75§iontree=75), resume, copy of latest transcript, and a letter of recommendation. Application Deadlines: November 20, 2009 for Spring 2010 internships. Please Note: This is a House of Representative office, not a campaign office.
November 12, 2009
Scheduler - Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02) is seeking a highly motivated individual to fill the position of Scheduler. Scheduler responsibilities include processing all Washington scheduling requests, coordinating Member and staff travel to and from the district and working with the Chief of Staff and Member to make sure the daily schedule is both efficient and effective. Ideal candidate must have exceptional organizational and communication skills and be willing and able to adapt to get the job done in a stressful environment. A mastery of Microsoft Outlook is a must. Hill or other scheduling experience is a major plus and Kansas ties are preferred but not required. Starting pay commensurate with experience. Please send resume and cover letter to ks02jobs@gmail.com. Please reference the scheduler opening in subject line.
November 9, 2009
Legislative Correspondent - Rep. John Kline (R-MN-02) seeks a Legislative Correspondent (LC) for his Washington office. Candidate must have demonstrated knowledge of the legislative process, excellent writing, and organization skills. The ideal applicant will have Hill experience, knowledge of IQ, significant writing experience, and be able to handle a large volume of mail. Minnesota/Midwest ties are preferred, but not required. Interested applicants should email resume, cover letter and writing sample to MN02jobs@mail.house.gov. No phone calls, faxes or drop-offs please.
Scheduler - Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02) is seeking a highly motivated individual to fill the position of Scheduler. Scheduler responsibilities include processing all Washington scheduling requests, coordinating Member and staff travel to and from the district and working with the Chief of Staff and Member to make sure the daily schedule is both efficient and effective. Ideal candidate must have exceptional organizational and communication skills and be willing and able to adapt to get the job done in a stressful environment. A mastery of Microsoft Outlook is a must. Hill or other scheduling experience is a major plus and Kansas ties are preferred but not required. Starting pay commensurate with experience. Please send resume and cover letter to ks02jobs@gmail.com. Please reference the scheduler opening in subject line.
November 9, 2009
Legislative Correspondent - Rep. John Kline (R-MN-02) seeks a Legislative Correspondent (LC) for his Washington office. Candidate must have demonstrated knowledge of the legislative process, excellent writing, and organization skills. The ideal applicant will have Hill experience, knowledge of IQ, significant writing experience, and be able to handle a large volume of mail. Minnesota/Midwest ties are preferred, but not required. Interested applicants should email resume, cover letter and writing sample to MN02jobs@mail.house.gov. No phone calls, faxes or drop-offs please.
Interns - The office of Congressman Buck McKeon (CA 25), Ranking Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, is seeking unpaid Interns to fill positions for Spring 2010 (January – April). Main responsibilities include answering phones, processing mail, drafting constituent correspondence letters, researching legislative issues, attending meetings/hearings as needed and giving tours of the Capitol. There will also be opportunities to attend receptions and seminars that interest you. Candidates should be self motivated, enthusiastic, flexible, and computer-literate. This is a great opportunity for college students seeking academic credit. Applicants must be able to make a minimum commitment of four days a week. California ties a plus. Please e-mail your cover letter and resume to Mimma Faudale at mimma.faudale@mail.house.gov
November 5, 2009
Spring Internships - Congressman Erik Paulsen’s office is currently accepting applications for unpaid internships in the District office in Eden Prairie, MN and in Washington, D.C. for the spring semester. A Congressional internship offers applicants an exciting opportunity to support staff while learning about the daily operations of the Legislative branch. Interns will assist the staff with constituent services, communications, administrative tasks, and legislative research. Congressman Paulsen’s Internship Program is designed primarily for the educational benefit of the participant. Interns working in the District Office have the opportunity to contribute to the office’s interaction with the surrounding community through constituent services, local events, and community meetings. Interns in the Washington, D.C. Office will gain insight into the federal government and the legislative process by working closely with staff and attending hearings and briefings. Candidates should have a strong work ethic, be highly organized and motivated, and possess a positive attitude. This internship is unpaid. College credit, if applicable, will be provided.Qualified applicants should send their cover letter and resume to Krysta Carlson at Krysta.Carlson1@mail.house.gov.
Spring Internships - Congressman Erik Paulsen’s office is currently accepting applications for unpaid internships in the District office in Eden Prairie, MN and in Washington, D.C. for the spring semester. A Congressional internship offers applicants an exciting opportunity to support staff while learning about the daily operations of the Legislative branch. Interns will assist the staff with constituent services, communications, administrative tasks, and legislative research. Congressman Paulsen’s Internship Program is designed primarily for the educational benefit of the participant. Interns working in the District Office have the opportunity to contribute to the office’s interaction with the surrounding community through constituent services, local events, and community meetings. Interns in the Washington, D.C. Office will gain insight into the federal government and the legislative process by working closely with staff and attending hearings and briefings. Candidates should have a strong work ethic, be highly organized and motivated, and possess a positive attitude. This internship is unpaid. College credit, if applicable, will be provided.Qualified applicants should send their cover letter and resume to Krysta Carlson at Krysta.Carlson1@mail.house.gov.
November 2, 2009
Unpaid Spring Interns - Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) is currently seeking unpaid spring interns with conservative values, who are available to start in January or early February. Interns will be responsible for maintaining general front office duties including answering phones, conducting and scheduling tours, logging and writing office correspondence, and a variety of other administrative tasks. Applicants should be detail oriented, punctual, and have excellent communication skills. Wisconsin ties are preferred. Interested candidates should direct their cover letter and resume to Joseph Zapf at joseph.zapf@mail.house.gov. No phone calls please.
Unpaid Spring Interns - Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) is currently seeking unpaid spring interns with conservative values, who are available to start in January or early February. Interns will be responsible for maintaining general front office duties including answering phones, conducting and scheduling tours, logging and writing office correspondence, and a variety of other administrative tasks. Applicants should be detail oriented, punctual, and have excellent communication skills. Wisconsin ties are preferred. Interested candidates should direct their cover letter and resume to Joseph Zapf at joseph.zapf@mail.house.gov. No phone calls please.
Dec 6, 2009
Sue Myrick on CBS Nightly News
In case you missed it last week, Sue's views on the government task force recommendations on mammograms got picked up on CBS Nightly News. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5869139n&tag=related;photovideo
Did We Learn Anything From Fort Hood Shootings?
Following is an overview of a situation of which I want each of you to be aware. Taken from the blog, The Jawa Report, it talks about what is going on on the Fort Hood military base one month after the shootings.
I am friends with the individual who broke this story. If the Fort Hood Shootings taught us anything, it is that we must act on the red flags in the ranks, when they surface. Here is another red flag and it is on the same base (Fort Hood) no less. Did we learn anything from the Fort Hood shootings?
The Jawa Report
December 03, 2009
Terror-tied ISNA official teaching troops at Ft Hood about to deploy to Afghanistan, wrote of "preemptive strikes" against Islam's enemies(UPDATED) It gets worse
I was contacted today by an official in the military anti-terrorism community who was extremely upset that a top official for the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) was conducting classes at Ft. Hood on Islam to troops about to deploy to Afghanistan. The individual in question, Louay Safi, actively promotes the ideology employed by Ft Hood killer Maj. Nidal Hasan, and has been caught on FBI wiretaps communicating with terrorist leaders operating in the US. Safi has also written a defense of "preemptive strikes" against Islam's enemies, such as that carried out by Maj. Hasan. (Update: It seems that Robert Spencer received the same report about Safi's appearance at Ft Hood today.)
Amazingly, at around 6:00pm this evening, Safi presented a check to the families of those killed less than a month ago in the Ft. Hood massacre.
My source told me: "This is nothing short of blood money. This is criminal and the Ft. Hood base commander should be fired right now."
Who is Louay Safi? He has long been on the radar of federal law enforcement. Back in 2003, Safi was named in a FBI affidavit submitted to the court that approved a search warrant of the now-closed Graduate School of Islamic Social Sciences, which trained and approved the initial Muslim military chaplains.
A glimpse of his connections to Islamic terrorists operating inside the US can be seen in a phone conversation recorded by the FBI he had with Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Sami al-Arian. The Investigative Project describes the call:
In a recorded 1995 telephone call, Al-Arian and Louay Safi discuss President Clinton's new executive order prohibiting financial transactions with terrorist groups including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Safi, an officer with the Islamic Society of North America and the International Institute of Islamic Thought (currently undergoing its own investigation for terrorist financing and ties to the Muslim Brotherhood), wanted to know if this affected Al-Arian.
Al-Arian dismissed the order as empty political posturing:
Al-Arian: By God the Almighty, when he lists names like Abu Nidal and Fathi Shiqaqi and Ahmad Yassin … Does Ahmad Yassin have accounts here? What is this nonsense?
Safi: He just wants to please them.
Al-Arian: Of course.
Safi: Nobody understands these things in America.
Al-Arian: True, people don't understand anything. They don't understand anything.
"Nobody understands these things in America." No truer words spoken.
Safi's extremist ideology was recently mentioned in a report by Rowan Scarborough, "FBI Partners with Jihad Groups":
Safi is a Syrian-born author who advocates Muslim American rights through his directorship of ISNA's Leadership Development Center. He advocates direct talks between Washington and Iran's leaders. He has spoken out against various law enforcement raids on Islamic centers.
In a 2003 publication, "Peace and the Limits of War," Safi wrote, "The war against the apostates [non-believers of Islam] is carried out not to force them to accept Islam, but to enforce the Islamic law and maintain order."
He also wrote, "It is up to the Muslim leadership to assess the situation and weigh the circumstances as well as the capacity of the Muslim community before deciding the appropriate type of jihad. At one stage, Muslims may find that jihad, through persuasion or peaceful resistance, is the best and most effective method to achieve just peace."
Again, this guy is teaching our soldiers on Islam at Ft. Hood as they are set to deploy to Afghanistan. Maj. Hasan was merely following Safi's dictates in consulting with his former imam Anwar al-Aulaqi in assessing the situation and deciding on the appropriate type of jihad. And Hasan could have easily relied on Safi's rulings on Islamic warfare in preparing for his attack. On page 29 of his "Peace and the Limits of War", Safi outlines the Islamic doctrine of a preemptive strike:
The clear-cut case of foreign aggression is a military attack on the Islamic state or its allies. The Muslims, however, are not obliged to wait until the enemies launch their attack, before responding. Rather, the Islamic state can initiate war and carry out a preemptive strike if the Muslim authorities become convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the enemy is mobilizing its forces and is about to carry out an offensive, or if a state of war already exists between the Islamic state and its adversaries."
Can the Islamic justifications behind Maj. Hasan's murderous attack be made more clear? And now Safi goes to the very scene of the crime to check out his ideological handywork at the invitation of military brass. Guys like Louay Safi are the problem, not the solution. Whomever brought him to Ft. Hood should be court martialed and drummed out of the military in shame.
In conclusion, where might have Maj. Hasan arrived at the conclusion that the war on terror was really a war on Islam as he expressed in his now-infamous Power Point presentation? Who knows, but if you want to catch Louay Safi in all his unedited glory, check out his article, "Turning the War on Terror into a War on Islam".
UPDATE: It gets worse. Indianapolis TV station WTHR reported right after the shooting that Safi had just returned from Ft Hood when the massacre happened and issued a condemnation of the killer, who was merely acting on Safi's doctrine of "preemptive strikes":
When shots rang out at Fort Hood last Thursday, Dr. Louay Safi was just wrapping up deployment training on Islam for soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas. Safi is the Director of Communications and Leadership Development at The Islamic Society of North America in Plainfield.
Within hours of the shooting, he was condemning a brother of the Muslim faith, the alleged trigger man Army Major Nidel Malik Hasan.
"This is a betrayal, something that I don't think any religion or any person of honor would really look at other than a betrayal and crime. What he did doesn't represent our faith," Safi told Eyewitness News from the Plainfield Mosque.
Once again, Safi's own book outlines the Islamic doctrine of "preemptive strikes" when any enemy of Islam (aka "America") "is mobilizing its forces and is about to carry out an offensive." Hasan consulted with Anwar al-Aulaqi (aka "Islamic authorities") according to Safi's instruction. Is Louay Safi playing both sides of the fence like his old friend, convicted Al-Qaeda bagman Aburahman Alamoudi, who established the DOD's Islamic chaplaincy program?
WTHR also reported that ISNA started a donation drive to assist the families of the Ft Hood massacre. This is much like Al-Qaeda raising money for the victims of 9/11. Could this possibly get any worse? Dare I ask?
December 03, 2009
Terror-tied ISNA official teaching troops at Ft Hood about to deploy to Afghanistan, wrote of "preemptive strikes" against Islam's enemies(UPDATED) It gets worse
I was contacted today by an official in the military anti-terrorism community who was extremely upset that a top official for the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) was conducting classes at Ft. Hood on Islam to troops about to deploy to Afghanistan. The individual in question, Louay Safi, actively promotes the ideology employed by Ft Hood killer Maj. Nidal Hasan, and has been caught on FBI wiretaps communicating with terrorist leaders operating in the US. Safi has also written a defense of "preemptive strikes" against Islam's enemies, such as that carried out by Maj. Hasan. (Update: It seems that Robert Spencer received the same report about Safi's appearance at Ft Hood today.)
Amazingly, at around 6:00pm this evening, Safi presented a check to the families of those killed less than a month ago in the Ft. Hood massacre.
My source told me: "This is nothing short of blood money. This is criminal and the Ft. Hood base commander should be fired right now."
Who is Louay Safi? He has long been on the radar of federal law enforcement. Back in 2003, Safi was named in a FBI affidavit submitted to the court that approved a search warrant of the now-closed Graduate School of Islamic Social Sciences, which trained and approved the initial Muslim military chaplains.
A glimpse of his connections to Islamic terrorists operating inside the US can be seen in a phone conversation recorded by the FBI he had with Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Sami al-Arian. The Investigative Project describes the call:
In a recorded 1995 telephone call, Al-Arian and Louay Safi discuss President Clinton's new executive order prohibiting financial transactions with terrorist groups including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Safi, an officer with the Islamic Society of North America and the International Institute of Islamic Thought (currently undergoing its own investigation for terrorist financing and ties to the Muslim Brotherhood), wanted to know if this affected Al-Arian.
Al-Arian dismissed the order as empty political posturing:
Al-Arian: By God the Almighty, when he lists names like Abu Nidal and Fathi Shiqaqi and Ahmad Yassin … Does Ahmad Yassin have accounts here? What is this nonsense?
Safi: He just wants to please them.
Al-Arian: Of course.
Safi: Nobody understands these things in America.
Al-Arian: True, people don't understand anything. They don't understand anything.
"Nobody understands these things in America." No truer words spoken.
Safi's extremist ideology was recently mentioned in a report by Rowan Scarborough, "FBI Partners with Jihad Groups":
Safi is a Syrian-born author who advocates Muslim American rights through his directorship of ISNA's Leadership Development Center. He advocates direct talks between Washington and Iran's leaders. He has spoken out against various law enforcement raids on Islamic centers.
In a 2003 publication, "Peace and the Limits of War," Safi wrote, "The war against the apostates [non-believers of Islam] is carried out not to force them to accept Islam, but to enforce the Islamic law and maintain order."
He also wrote, "It is up to the Muslim leadership to assess the situation and weigh the circumstances as well as the capacity of the Muslim community before deciding the appropriate type of jihad. At one stage, Muslims may find that jihad, through persuasion or peaceful resistance, is the best and most effective method to achieve just peace."
Again, this guy is teaching our soldiers on Islam at Ft. Hood as they are set to deploy to Afghanistan. Maj. Hasan was merely following Safi's dictates in consulting with his former imam Anwar al-Aulaqi in assessing the situation and deciding on the appropriate type of jihad. And Hasan could have easily relied on Safi's rulings on Islamic warfare in preparing for his attack. On page 29 of his "Peace and the Limits of War", Safi outlines the Islamic doctrine of a preemptive strike:
The clear-cut case of foreign aggression is a military attack on the Islamic state or its allies. The Muslims, however, are not obliged to wait until the enemies launch their attack, before responding. Rather, the Islamic state can initiate war and carry out a preemptive strike if the Muslim authorities become convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the enemy is mobilizing its forces and is about to carry out an offensive, or if a state of war already exists between the Islamic state and its adversaries."
Can the Islamic justifications behind Maj. Hasan's murderous attack be made more clear? And now Safi goes to the very scene of the crime to check out his ideological handywork at the invitation of military brass. Guys like Louay Safi are the problem, not the solution. Whomever brought him to Ft. Hood should be court martialed and drummed out of the military in shame.
In conclusion, where might have Maj. Hasan arrived at the conclusion that the war on terror was really a war on Islam as he expressed in his now-infamous Power Point presentation? Who knows, but if you want to catch Louay Safi in all his unedited glory, check out his article, "Turning the War on Terror into a War on Islam".
UPDATE: It gets worse. Indianapolis TV station WTHR reported right after the shooting that Safi had just returned from Ft Hood when the massacre happened and issued a condemnation of the killer, who was merely acting on Safi's doctrine of "preemptive strikes":
When shots rang out at Fort Hood last Thursday, Dr. Louay Safi was just wrapping up deployment training on Islam for soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas. Safi is the Director of Communications and Leadership Development at The Islamic Society of North America in Plainfield.
Within hours of the shooting, he was condemning a brother of the Muslim faith, the alleged trigger man Army Major Nidel Malik Hasan.
"This is a betrayal, something that I don't think any religion or any person of honor would really look at other than a betrayal and crime. What he did doesn't represent our faith," Safi told Eyewitness News from the Plainfield Mosque.
Once again, Safi's own book outlines the Islamic doctrine of "preemptive strikes" when any enemy of Islam (aka "America") "is mobilizing its forces and is about to carry out an offensive." Hasan consulted with Anwar al-Aulaqi (aka "Islamic authorities") according to Safi's instruction. Is Louay Safi playing both sides of the fence like his old friend, convicted Al-Qaeda bagman Aburahman Alamoudi, who established the DOD's Islamic chaplaincy program?
WTHR also reported that ISNA started a donation drive to assist the families of the Ft Hood massacre. This is much like Al-Qaeda raising money for the victims of 9/11. Could this possibly get any worse? Dare I ask?
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