Analyst's note:  This is a fascinating interview of Stewart Baker by Dick Carlson on the Danger Zone broadcast out of the UK.  Mr. Baker is the author of the book, "Skating on Stilts:  Why we aren't stopping tomorrow's terrorism."  This is a 20m:45s broadcast that you will find to be absolutely stunning.

David Schenker, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, previously served as the Pentagon's top policy aide on the Arab countries of the Levant. He has authored Dancing with Saddam: the Strategic Tango of Jordanian-Iraqi Relations; more recently, he published a chapter on U.S.-Lebanese relations in Lebanon: Liberation, Conflict, and Crisis. On October 14, Mr. Schenker addressed the Middle East Forum in New York on the Obama administration's questionable policy of pursuing engagement with Syria.

Mr. Schenker began his remarks by arguing that the Obama administration's engagement policy with Syria has been even less effective than with Iran. He listed a litany of Syrian crimes against U.S. interests in the region, including Damascus's unwavering support for Hezbollah and other terrorists, its ongoing meddling in Lebanon, and its refusal to seal the border with Iraq against insurgents.

Mr. Schenker identified three key misconceptions that prohibit the administration from developing a sound policy toward Syria. The first is the notion that Damascus welcomes a closer relationship to Washington than Tehran—an assumption that overlooks a thirty-year strategic relationship with the Islamic Republic. Second, Washington policymakers maintain that Syria can play a positive role in Lebanon, despite evidence of continued interference in Lebanese affairs, even following the Cedar Revolution. Finally, the Obama administration believes that Syria can play a central role for U.S. policy in the region—despite Damascus' use of "resistance" groups to strengthen its hand in the region and its blatant disregard for IAEA and UN resolutions.

During a lively question-and-answer session, Mr. Schenker was asked what it would take for Damascus to respect the U.S. He argued for "a robust military strategy in addition to a diplomatic strategy" that would demonstrate in no uncertain terms that the regime cannot continue its current policies without consequences. Regarding opposition groups inside Syria, Mr. Schenker suggested that effective opposition is likely non-existent, noting for example that membership in the Muslim Brotherhood is punishable by death. On the topic of regime change, Mr. Schenker argued that it would be rash for the U.S. to consider that as an option with the fallout from Iraq still playing out, beyond which there is no guarantee that a replacement would be any more amenable to the West.

Mr. Schenker concludes that "we're chasing after Syria and they're having no part of it," suggesting that President Obama's policy of engagement with Syria is not only ineffective, but probably counterproductive as well.

Summary written by MEF intern Sean Alexander

This text may be reposted or forwarded so long as it is presented as an integral whole with complete information provided about its author, date, place of publication, and original URL.

http://www.meforum.org/2770/engaging-damascus

Analyst's note:  Absolutely must read the book and listen to this audio. You've heard about the courageous young investigators who covertly videotaped officials of ACORN advocating illegal activities.  Now, get ready for an undercover exposé even more daring and audacious – a six-month penetration of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) that resulted in the collection of 17,000 pages of revealing documents as well as inside secrets.

This is what the book "Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That's Conspiring to Islamize America" by P. David Gaubatz and Paul Sperry delivers.  Listen to General William Boykin describe the book by clicking here.

It has all the elements of a top-flight mystery novel, but the situations and conversations are absolutely real. The book’s frightening allegations are well supported by more than twelve thousand pages of confidential, internal CAIR documents secretly extracted during an unprecedented undercover operation.

This trail of information reveals the insidious and well-funded efforts of the seditious Muslim Brotherhood under the nonprofit guise of CAIR to fully support the international jihad against the United States, with the goal of transforming American society from within. They hope to accomplish this through terrorist activities, fraud, and infiltration of our political and intelligence systems, which these documents clearly reveal.

Follow co-author Dave Gaubatz’s son Chris as he courageously gains the trust of CAIR’s inner sanctum, working undercover as Davis Marshall, a converted and devoted follower of the Muslim religion.

What you'll learn in this book:

• Which politicians are given money by CAIR.
• How Capitol Hill staffers are strategically placed by CAIR.
• Why FBI bonuses are paid to agents who are nice to CAIR.
• Why our government is afraid to reveal what they really know about CAIR.
• How CAIR has compromised our intelligence systems.
• How CAIR is secretly working with government officials to ban the Patriot Act to make future attacks against our country even easier.
• And the list goes on....

Analyst notes:  You will want to listen to this radio broadcast.  It covers the inter-relationship of our national security, our economy, our family values, and our national strategic planning needs. It discusses how they affect one another and how peace and growth can best be achieved by a strategy that includes them all. Consideration is given to Chinese control over several strategic materials and how this can affect American war-making abilities.  Wake up America!  Think about the whole picture, not just the single topic of the day!

Analyst's note:  Absolutely must listen From an article titled "Obama's 'Teachable' Shariah Moment" by Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. (from Family Security Matters) and found on this website by searching the word "miserable" we learn the following: " [...] we know from uncontested evidence [...] the Muslim Brotherhood's mission in America is "destroying Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all other religions." radio

This is the same Muslim Brotherhood that we pay its multiple members to represent us overseas.  You don't have to be a Rhodes scholar to see what might be wrong with this picture.  This would be like in WWII if we had paid members of the Nazi S.S. to represent us overseas.

This is a special edition of Stakelbeck on Terror, CBN News (9/21/2010) examining the Muslim Brotherhood -- a group that's committed to jihad, sharia law and establishing Islamic domination in the U.S.

The organization shares the same goals as al Qaeda, but some experts believe -- as a long-term threat to American security -- the Brotherhood is more dangerous than Osama bin Laden's followers.

[....] former FBI special agent John Guandolo, ex-CIA officer Brian Fairchild and leading investigative journalist Patrick Poole break down the Brotherhood's history, goals and its infiltration of leading U.S. government and educational institutions.

Listen as former FBI special agent John Guandolo, ex-CIA officer Brian Fairchild and leading investigative journalist Patrick Poole break down the Brotherhood's history, goals and its infiltration of leading U.S. government and educational institutions.

The panel provides recommendations on how America can fight back against the Muslim Brotherhood's threat.

Analyst's note:  From an article titled "Obama's 'Teachable' Shariah Moment" by Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. (from Family Security Matters) and found on this website by searching the word "miserable" we learn the following: " [...] we know from uncontested evidence [...] the Muslim Brotherhood's mission in America is "destroying Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all other religions." 

This is the same Muslim Brotherhood that we pay its multiple members to represent us overseas.  You don't have to be a Rhodes scholar to see what might be wrong with this picture.  This would be like in WWII if we hade payed members of the Nazi S.S to represent us overseas.

This is a special edition of Stakelbeck on Terror, CBN News (9/21/2010) examining the Muslim Brotherhood -- a group that's committed to jihad, sharia law and establishing Islamic domination in the U.S.

The organization shares the same goals as al Qaeda, but some experts believe -- as a long-term threat to American security -- the Brotherhood is more dangerous than Osama bin Laden's followers.

[....] former FBI special agent John Guandolo, ex-CIA officer Brian Fairchild and leading investigative journalist Patrick Poole break down the Brotherhood's history, goals and its infiltration of leading U.S. government and educational institutions. [....]

See this broadcast at http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/September/Stakelbeck-on-Terror---The-Muslim-Brotherhood-in-America/

Analyst's note:  From an article titled "Obama's 'Teachable' Shariah Moment" by Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. (from Family Security Matters) and found on this website by searching the word "miserable" we learn the following: " [...] we know from uncontested evidence [...] the Muslim Brotherhood's mission in America is "destroying Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all other religions." 

This is the same Muslim Brotherhood that we pay its multiple members to represent us overseas.  You don't have to be a Rhodes scholar to see what might be wrong with this picture.  This would be like in WWII if we hade payed members of the Nazi S.S to represent us overseas.

This is a special edition of Stakelbeck on Terror, CBN News examining the Muslim Brotherhood -- a group that's committed to jihad, sharia law and establishing Islamic domination in the U.S.

The organization shares the same goals as al Qaeda, but some experts believe -- as a long-term threat to American security -- the Brotherhood is more dangerous than Osama bin Laden's followers.

[....] former FBI special agent John Guandolo, ex-CIA officer Brian Fairchild and leading investigative journalist Patrick Poole break down the Brotherhood's history, goals and its infiltration of leading U.S. government and educational institutions.

Hear the rest at http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/September/Stakelbeck-on-Terror---The-Muslim-Brotherhood-in-America/

Absolutely must hear.  Listen to these recently revealed stunning facts on the hidden and growing federal debt.  The U.S. is rapidly on the path to make Greece look rich.  Learn what must be done to fix the problem.

(Analyst's note:  Newt Gingrich says the GOP must stop the left before America is destroyed.  I would suggest that it is the American people -- NOT a party -- that must act to save America, but the important point is to listen to Newt's description of the problem.)

Analyst notes: Here is a 30 minute segment of the "East Coast-West Coast" radio broadcast of May 5, 2010 concerning national threats and science issues. Interesting discussion of Strategic Materials and Processes, Iran's nuclear preparation, and EMP weapons. This discussion MATTERS!  You will enjoy this session.