Suggested Discussion Outline

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johnkarls
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Suggested Discussion Outline

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Suggested Discussion Outline


A. Quick Review of What We Have Learned In Past Studies Over the Years

1. Osama’s fatwā to nuke 10 million Americans was the focus of a famous book by the Founding Dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Graham Allison entitled “Nuclear Terrorism: The Ultimate Preventable Catastrophe.”

2. Graham Allison recommendations have NOT been followed despite the endorsement and exhaustive supportive efforts of former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman 1987-1995), U.S. Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman 2003-2007) and Messrs. Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton (Chair and Co-Chair of The 9/11 Commission).

3. And despite the efforts of Tim Russert to publicize the efforts of Nunn/Lugar/Kean/Hamilton on Meet The Press and Tom Brokaw’s participation in a Docu-Drama produced by Nunn/Lugar/Kean/Hamilton.

4. Fatwās can NOT be revoked following the death of the person who issued the fatwā – as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei informed the Brits when they sought to have revoked Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s fatwā to assassinate Salman Rushdie during negotiations to restore diplomatic relations following the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989.

5. Fatwā’s are the solemn religious duty of every follower of the person who issued the fatwā – which in the case of Osama’s fatwā to nuke 10 million Americans includes every member of Al Qaeda and every member of ISIS (formerly Al Qaeda in Iraq).

6. It would appear that even though Dean Graham Allison’s recommendations have not been implemented, the reason why America has not long since suffered a nuclear attack from Al Qaeda and/or ISIS (as most experts were predicting was imminent following 9/11 and, for movie buffs, was the topic of several Hollywood movies) is because of FISA Sec. 702’s extraordinary grant of power to our intelligence services to spy on terrorists, including their communications with American citizens.


B. Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s “Heretic: Why Islam Needs A Reformation Now” (condensed from the Second Short Quiz which was entitled “Islam’s Core Principle of Violent Holy War”)

1. Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in 1969 in Somalia and raised in 4 Muslim cultures in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Kenya. After genital mutilation, etc., she fled to Holland to escape an arranged marriage.

2. After university in Holland, Hirsi Ali became a leader of a new political party protesting Holland’s supposed “liberal” policy of permitting the free practice of religion in general, and Islam in particular -- especially with regard to its non-liberal treatment of women including HONOR KILLINGS ON DUTCH SOIL

3. Although the new party swept to power, its leader Pym Fortuyn was assassinated two weeks before the election by Radical Muslims. Famous Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh was also assassinated by Radical Muslims because he had made a documentary film about Hirsi Ali and her political views. Stabbed to Theo van Gogh’s chest was a letter to Hirsi Ali that said in effect “you’re next.” As a result, Hirsi Ali fled in 2004 to the U.S. into the equivalent of the “witness protection program.”

4. However, it soon became apparent that Hirsi Ali had joined the faculty of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government where for the last 13 years and counting, she has taught and published numerous books on Radical Islam.


5. Salient points by Hirsi Ali in “Heretic” --

5-A. The heart of Islam is World Conquest as the result of Violent Holy War.

5-B. World Conquest by Violent Holy War is required by the famous “Sword Verses” of the Quran.

5-C. The Quranic “peace verses” cited by the Islam Apologists come from Muhammad’s Mecca period during which he and Islam were floundering, while the “Sword Verses” come from Muhammad’s later Medina period when Muhammad and Islam were flourishing as a result of military conquests, many of which Muhammad led personally.

5-C. All 4 main schools of Islamic Jurisprudence and all 25 approved Islamic interpretations of the Quran agree in general that any statements in the Quran that are inconsistent with later Quranic statements ARE ABROGATED, and in particular, the “peace verses” cited by the Islam Apologists ARE ABROGATED by the “Sword Verses.”

5-E. Accordingly, Hirsi Ali proposes a “Reformation” of Islam while citing the “Reformation” of Roman Catholicism (as distinguished from Eastern Orthodox Christianity) prompted by Martin Luther’s so-called “95 Theses” in 1517.

5-F. However, Hirsi Ali says that Mainstream Islam (not just the Radicals) believe that the Quran is God’s Word, that the Quran is God’s FINAL word, and that questioning the Quran is heresy which, of course, must be punished by death.

5-G. And Hirsi Ali describes Mainstream Islam (not just the Radicals) as viewing life on earth as nothing but a fleeting opportunity to prepare for The Judgment Day and, hopefully, Eternity in Heaven.

5-H. And the famous “Sword Verses” which all Islamic authorities agree are a principal feature of Islam (as described above) glorify Martyrdom in a violent Holy War for World Conquest as the best way FOR BOTH THE MARTYR AND 70 CLOSE RELATIVES to by-pass The Judgment Day and enter Heaven immediately. [BTW, THIS WAS A PRINCIPAL CLAIM IN OSAMA BIN LADIN’S 1996 FATWĀ ENTITLED “DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST THE AMERICANS OCCUPYING THE LAND OF THE TWO HOLY PLACES” -- AND IRAN’S SUPREME AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI HAS ALSO SAID THAT ISLAMIC MARTYRS BY-PASS THE JUDGMENT DAY.]

5-I. Discussion Questions --

5-I-1. Isn’t Hirsi Ali’s proposed “Reformation” of Islam really jettisoning one of its basic principles, rather than getting back to basics???

5-I-2. In contrast, wasn’t Martin Luther’s “Reformation” getting “back to the basics” of what Christ claimed Christianity to be – viz., “loving your neighbor as yourself” following which was the Story of the Good Samaritan to drive home Christ’s point that everyone in the world is your neighbor???

5-I-3. Doesn’t Hirsi Ali herself describe her proposed “Reformation” with an analogy to a historic building for which, instead of destroying it and building something else in its place, its façade is preserved while all of its interior is gutted and replaced with the most-modern features???

5-I-4. So although Hirsi Ali says that Westerners should support the efforts of Islam Reformers and NOT the Islam Apologists, is doing so a realistic way of preventing 10 million Americans from being nuked IAW ObL’s fatwā???


C. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) As The Solution to Osama bin Ladin’s Fatwā to Nuke 10 Million Americans – Expiring 12/31/2017

1. In rejecting the recommendation of the Founding Dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government regarding how to cope with Osama bin Laden’s now-irrevocable fatwā to nuke 10 million Americans (please see Sec. A above), Congress instead opted for Sec. 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) pursuant to which the National Security Agency (aka NSA aka “No Such Agency”) was permitted to collect all electronic communications (phone calls, e-mail, text messages, etc.) and have immediate access to the “meta data” (who communicated with whom, when and where) concerning those communications.

2. Sec. 702 intended (except for one-year emergencies determined by the Attorney General or the Director of National Intelligence) to limit NSA’s ability to access THE CONTENT of such communications to solely those communications which were identified by searching the “meta data” to confirm the participation by known foreign terrorists AND ONLY AFTER a Warrant was obtained from a FISA judge.

3. If the foreign terrorists, THE CONTENT of whose communications was the subject of a FISA Warrant, communicated with U.S. citizens, the NSA has access to THE CONTENT of those communications pursuant to the FISA Warrant.

4. Sec. 702 provided that the IDENTITY of U.S. citizens, THE CONTENT of whose communications was accessed by the NSA as described in Paragraph (3), must be MASKED.

5. Top Officials of the Obama Administration UNMASKED (and then obtained THE CONTENT of communications of) POLITICAL OPPONENTS -- for example, more than 100 UNMASKINGS were obtained by Samantha Power who, as Obama’s Ambassador to the United Nations, had no need to know about the communications vis-à-vis which she was obtaining UNMASKING.

6. For our 5/10/2017 meeting, we focused on “Authoritarian Rule by Our Intelligence Services” because of their behavior in ILLEGALLY leaking UNMASKED communications to the media concerning governmental officials that they didn’t like and we re-read (probably for the first time since High School for most of us) George Orwell’s “1984.”

7. At our 5/10/2017 meeting, there was universal opposition to the possibility/probability that our Intelligence Services will use their power to zap any of our democratically-elected officials with whom they disagree.

8. NONETHELESS, at our 5/10/2017 meeting, there was a diversity of opinion on (A) whether we are just “around the corner” from Authoritarian Rule by Our Intelligence Services à la George Orwell’s 1984, or (B) whether we are merely (!!!) in a permanent modus vivendi pursuant to which Our Intelligence Services dictate U.S. policy by zapping whichever democratically-elected officials displease them WITHOUT the oppression of Orwell’s 1984 -- not everyone believes in “give me liberty or give me death” which was apparently what drove her/his opinion on what is just around the corner!!!

9. HOWEVER, THERE WAS UNIVERSAL AGREEMENT that (as posited in both the Suggested Discussion Outline and the Suggested Answers to the Fourth Short Quiz posted on http://www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org for the 5/10/2017 meeting) there is NO SOLUTION to the problem -- unless, of course, we simply disband entirely our Intelligence Services BECAUSE THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES HAVE ALREADY PROVEN TO BE SO “LAWLESS” THAT THERE IS REALLY NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL LAWS BECAUSE THEY WILL IGNORE THOSE AS WELL !!!

10. FISA Sec. 702 expires on 12/31/2017 unless it is extended by new legislation.

11. The USA Liberty Act, which was reported to the House Floor on 11/8/2017, represents a conscientious effort to increase in the future the criminal penalties for the type of illegal behavior that has occurred in the past under FISA Sec. 702.

[Both the text of The USA Liberty Act and the text of FISA Sec. 702 showing the changes made by the USA Liberty Act are posted in the “Participant Comments” Section of the portion of www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org dealing with our 12/13/2017 meeting.]

12. Discussion questions --

12-A. Would the reforms of The USA Liberty Act be sufficient to prevent Authoritarian Rule by our Intelligence Services à la Orwell’s “1984”???

12-B. AND EVEN IF the reforms would be sufficient IF ENFORCED, why should America believe in Washington DC’s “Kabuki Theater” in which NOBODY is ever HELD ACCOUNTABLE for violating the law???

12-C. FOR EXAMPLE, do there appear to be ANY INVESTIGATIONS of such obvious criminal behavior imperiling our national security as (A) the Clinton Foundation in general and Uranium One in particular, (B) Hillary putting top-secret documents on a personal computer server that was less secure than g-mail and that was hacked by at least 5 foreign governments, (C) Hillary and the DNC buying false “opposition research” from the Kremlin and distributing it to the mainstream media while masking their deeds by using the Perkins Coie law firm as their agent to accomplish these illegal activities, and (D) rigging the Democratic Primaries against Bernie Sanders who was the only candidate in 2016, other than Donald Trump, standing up for American workers (which should comprise a “slam dunk” case of criminally defrauding all of Bernie Sanders’ zillions of small campaign contributors)???


12-D. Should we launch one of our Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaigns --

12-D-i. Opposing the extension of FISA Sec. 702 beyond 12/31/2017 entirely???

12-D-ii. Opposing the extension of FISA Sec. 702 unless Jeff Sessions’ so-called “Justice” Department institutes prosecutions for such obvious criminal behavior imperiling our national security as those described in Paragraph (C)???

12-D-iii. Opposing the extension of FISA Sec. 702 unless FISA Sections 702(a) and 702(c)(2), which permit the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence to conduct so-called “WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING” for ONE YEAR PERIODS, are amended to provide that (1) the AG and DNI are NOT permitted to string together a series of one-year periods, (2) the AG and DNI are NOT permitted to use the “fruits of the poisonous tree” to obtain de facto “warrantless wiretapping” of a target beyond one year by simply engaging subsequently in “warrantless wiretapping” for yet another year of individuals with whom the original target communicated during the first year, and (3) even during the original one-year period, the AG and DNI must proceed as soon as possible on a “good faith” basis to obtain a FISA warrant???

12-D-iv. Other???


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Addendum -- Islam’s Treatment of Women

Yours Truly proposed reading Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s “Heretic” on 8/18/2017.

Because at that time Yours Truly thought that a major component of our discussion of Hirsi Ali’s “Heretic” would be Islam’s treatment of women, he amended the Original Proposal on 8/24/2017 to suggest that participants read “for extra credit” a book that the September Bulletin of the Harvard Club of NYC (published 8/24/2017) said would be discussed by its author at the Club on 9/12/2017 -- “A Different Kind Of Daughter: The Girl Who Hid From The Taliban In Plain Sight” by Maria Toorpakai and Katherine Holstein.

Accordingly, there should be an opportunity at our 12/13/2017 meeting for anyone who “read for extra credit” Toorpakai’s “A Different Kind of Daughter” to discuss it.

The listing in the September Bulletin of the Harvard Club of NYC --

A Different Kind of Daughter: The Girl Who Hid From the Taliban in Plain Sight, with Maria Toorpakai
Tuesday 9/12/2017 at 5:30 pm – Squash Exhibition Match
Tuesday 9/12/2017 at 7:00 pm – Talk and Screening of “Girl Unbound” Trailer

As a young girl growing up in Waziristan, Pakistan, Maria Toorpakai burned her dresses, disguised herself as a boy, and defied the Taliban for several years to pursue her love of sports. She briefly competed as a boy in weightlifting under the name Genghis Khan. But when she discovered squash and started beating all the boys, life became more dangerous. With the risky, counter-cultural support of her amazing parents, Maria ultimately came out as a woman, became mentored by a former world champion, and went on to become Pakistan’s Number One female squash player. Maria will share the story of her long road and eventual triumph, pursuing the sport she loved, defying death threats and following her dream. Before the talk, Maria will challenge the Harvard Club’s best squash players to an exhibition match for those interested in watching. Her talk afterward will include a viewing of the trailer the award-winning 2016 documentary “Girl Unbound” giving a personal peek into Maria Toorpakai’s dramatic life. The book A Different Kind of Daughter: The Girl Who Hid from the Taliban in Plain Sight, will be available for a signing at the end of the program.

Caroline Benveniste, Co-Chair, Program Committee

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