Venezuela's Chavez not so veiled threats directed against United States

According to an Associated Press (AP) report filed by Natslie Obiko Pearson at a gathering of anti-globalization activists, "Chavez ends forum with warning to U.S.," Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned that a US led attack on Iran would be "10 times worse than Iraq." The AP wire report quoted Chavez as saying "Down with the U.S. empire." Here is a brief excerpt from this under-reported mainstream media news story that appeared in the The Ledger - Enquirer, Columbus, Georgia:

CARACAS, Venezuela - A gathering of anti-globalization activists ended with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez warning that an American attack on Iran would be "10 times worse than Iraq" and saying: "Down with the U.S. empire!" A series of fiery speeches totaling seven hours by Chavez on Sunday closed the six-day World Social Forum, and he used the event for some of his strongest comments aimed at Washington. "Enough already with the imperialist aggression!" Chavez said, listing countries from Panama to Iraq where the U.S. military has intervened. "Down with the U.S. empire! It must be said, in the entire world: Down with the empire!" Link to complete article: Chavez threatens United States

This is another instance of Chavez promoting his brand of socialism. Why are Chavez' threats being under reported by the mainstream media? The winds of war are blowing, however gently, at the moment. If we blink we may lose, or, at the least suffer severe damage.

The United States must work on ways to become energy independent and also to strengthen our national interests. Apologists and appeasers significantly weaken us and leave us vulnerable to pressures from dictators like Chavez. How can the liberals rebut these threats?

Technorati tags: Hugo Chavez, Iran, Iraq, President Bush, Energy independent , Dictators, Liberal Left, Liberal Media, State of the Union, imperialist aggression, anti-globalization

Saddam Ordered WMD Strike on Israel

Sean Hannity interviewed former deputy of the Iraqi Air Force, General Georges Sada, on Thursday and it was very interesting. According to Sada, he convinced Saddam to abort the mission by telling him that the Iraqi pilots could not complete the mission with the equipment at their disposal, and that the Israelis had radar that could detect them before they reached their target. (Sada contended that Isreal would destroy about 90% of the planes while they were still over Syria and Jordan. And the chemicals would rain down on Syria and Jordan and destroy him with the Arab world. Sada claims that Iraq's chemical weapons were later taken to Syria just prior to the US invasion.

Here are additional excerpts from The Jerusalem Post

- The former deputy of the Iraqi air force, General Georges Sada, revealed on Saturday that that former dictator of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, ordered him during the first Gulf War to bomb Israeli population centers with chemical weapons. The ousted dictator, said Sada in recently published book, Saddam's Secret's, ordered 96 Russian fighter jets to be armed with chemical weapons and sent to bomb Israel. Read the rest of the article for more revelations and details claimed by Sada: Saddam
ordered WMD strike

DISCLAIMER: The different points of views on the General Georges Sada are not supported nor do they reflect the views and beliefs of the Bosun Locker or any entity affiliated with the Bosun Locker. Hannity mentioned it and I am mentioning it too. However, I am not endorsing his book and am receiving nothing for placing it here. Let the buyer be responsible for their own choices.

Saddam's Secrets by General Georges Sada
He was one of Saddam Hussein’s top military advisors, yet a truth-teller in a regime where truth was relative. He was also a devout Christian in an anti-Christian country. For the first time, General Georges Sada shares his amazing journey—and speaks of the military secrets he was asked to keep—secrets only those closest to Saddam would know. But God’s work in General Sada’s life is no secret. From his years of covert military operations, to his dramatic conversations with Saddam and other world leaders, God has enabled Sada to make a difference, even when lives hang in the balance. Integrity Publishers

Iran warns US, Britain of reprisals

We have a real problem developing in Persia. Iran appears to be trying to hold the United States, Great Britian, and the rest of the free world hostage and the leftists, apologists, appeasers, and Dhimmis are playing their fiddles as Nero did when Roma burned. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Chief, Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, has warned the United States and Britian that it will attack with missiles, if it is attacked. And, they have the Shahab-3 missiles to deliver Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Here are some intimate details about the Shahab-3 that you will not find in the mainstream media (MSM)

The Iranian Shahab-3/Zelzal-3 [alternatively designated Zelzal (Earthquake)] missile is said to be a derivative of the 1,000-1,300 kilometer range North Korean Nodong-1.

It is interesting to note that the Nodong missile was developed by North Korea with Iranian financial assistance.

The Shahab-3 missile can have a 500kg-650kg warhead. The range is believed to be 1550km-1620km (based on performance data of the No-dong B). More specifically it is believed that with a warhead mass of 760kg the missile will fly 1560km and with a warhead mass of 1158kg the missile will fly 1350km. Although not verified this data would seem to indicate that they are working on the Shahab-4 with a 2000km+ range and would be a derivative of the Taepo-dong 1. In late July 2005 Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said the Shihab-3 contained a range of 1,930 kilometers, a major increase from the previous version of the missile, which had a range of 1,300 kilometers. He said the Shihab-3 developed and tested in 2004 significantly increased the range of the missile. Shamkhani was quoted by Radio Farda as saying that the liquid-fuel Shihab could also be fitted with a nuclear warhead. Technical information regarding the Shahab-3 was obtained through Global Security.Org

Iran warns US, Britain of reprisals as reported by the ASSOCIATED PRESS:

TEHRAN, Iran Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief Saturday warned the United States and Britain that Iran would respond with its missiles if attacked, a clear threat to Israel, which lies within easy range of such a launch. See the Jerusalem Post article for specific details: Safavi Warns United States and Britian

The Shahab-3 is a direct threat to our military forces in the Middle East, Isreal, and also a direct threat to developing countries of the region.

Computer Down-Time

Blogger.com has informed us that between 4-4:15pm PCT on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, blogger.com will not be accessable due to some technical glitch that they have to fix. Please come visit either before or after this time. I apologize for this inconvienence, and thank you for your patience.

Joel Stein VERSUS the USA Military

Joel Stein, an editorial writer for the Lost Angeles Times, has hit a new low. I will put him up against anyone in our Military, including the ladies. He wouldn't stand a chance.

Let him hide behind the protection of the US Military that is keeping him alive while he spreads this dribble. On the other hand, I'm tired of giving these traitors a pass. I think he ought to be shot for treason.

So you think I'm wrong? Read up on Washington, Lincoln, Teddy, and Roosevelt. FDR had 8 Germans, 1 was a citizen, shot within 8 days of capture, trial, and death. They were caught on this land planning to do harm to this country.

Where did those liberals go?

Radio Blogger has the transcript of an interview between radio giant Hugh Hewitt and this ignorant man earlier today. There is also an audio soundtrack for your pleasure, if you can stand it. Hat tip to Radio Blogger.

Major K. is one who would like to take him over and show him Iraq real personal. I can guarantee he is not the only one! Editors and Publishers also has an article on this article.

Cowardice suits the Left well. After all, to be brave one must learn how to face reality...

No Truce with al-Qaida or Osama bin Laden Possible, Cheney Says

This article was obtained from International Information Programs, USINFO.STATE.GOV (USINFO) Please visit USINFO from updated State Department Information.

Vice President Cheney criticizes Iran, expresses support for pro-democracy efforts

Washington -- The Bush administration rejected an alleged truce offering from Osama bin Laden after the Arab television network al-Jazeera broadcast an audiotape January 19 purportedly made by the al-Qaida leader.

“We do not negotiate with terrorists,” said Vice President Cheney in an appearance on Fox television the same day.

“Not only have they struck here in the United States, but we’ve had attacks all over the world in places like Madrid, in Casablanca, and Istanbul, and Bali, and Jakarta. This is not an organization that sits down and signs a truce. I think you have to destroy them.”

Because this is the first time bin Laden has been heard from in more than a year, Cheney said it would be important to determine not only when the tape was made, but if it is “something pieced together from the past.”

The tape contains threats of further violence against the United States. The vice president said that he believes problems with al-Qaida would continue even without bin Laden.

“We see ample evidence of continued plotting against the United States,” he said. “We continue to work aggressively against the organization – I think with considerable success. But I think we have to assume that the threat is going to continue for a considerable period of time.”

Cheney said the counterterrorism actions taken by the Bush administration have prevented terrorist incidents in the United States since September 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington.

“You cannot, obviously, make any promises that it won’t happen again in the future. … But the fact of the matter is, we’ve done some very good work at interrupting the activities of the enemy, of disrupting proposed plots, of capturing and killing al-Qaida,” he said.

Nonetheless, Cheney said, it is important for people everywhere to maintain their guards and not become complacent about the risk from terrorists.

In a January 19 interview with CNBC television, the vice president said the United States continues to use diplomatic means to halt Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and expressed concern about “outrageous” statements made by Iran’s current president, Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad, calling for the destruction of Israel. He criticized the current political system in Iran, under which Ahmadi-Nejad was elected, as one in which no one can run for national office without the permission of unelected senior clerics who also have been “staunch supporters” of terrorist groups like Hezbollah.

“One of the more hopeful things about the situation in Iran,” Cheney said, “is that you’ve got a whole, younger generation that is very interested in the West and … finds the current theocracy that governs Iran distasteful, would like to see a change in their own government.” The United States and other nations are supportive of movement toward true democracy in Iran, he said.
The present Iranian government, he said, needs to change its policies if it wants “be treated by the international community as a full member of the world community.”

For additional information on U.S. policy, see Response to Terrorism.

Technorati tags: Cheney, terrorism, Iran,Martyrdom, international community, Israel, Mosque, Islamic Jihad, al-Qaida, al-Jazeera,Islam, Osama bin Laden, counterterrorism

Al-Qaeda threats target Alaskan pipeline

Obtained from Canada.com Network

Al-Qaeda targets Alaskan pipeline; Muslims urged to launch attack from Mexico and Canada

by Matthew Ramsey, The Province
Published: Friday, January 20, 2006

B.C.'s energy sector is on heightened alert after an al-Qaeda-affiliated Internet blog message called on Canadian and U.S. jihadists to attack an Alaskan oil pipeline.

The 12-page posting targets the Trans-Alaska Pipeline specifically and energy infrastructure in California and Mexico in general. It was discovered and translated from Arabic Dec. 30 by the Washington-based SITE Institute. Please go to the following link for the complete story: Al-Qaeda Targets

Techorati tags: Al-Qaeda, War, Peace, SITE Institute, Pipeline, Canada, Trans-Alaska, and infrastructure.

MEMI Special Dispatch No. 1074

January 20, 2006 - Special Dispatch No. 1074

Bin Laden in New Audiocassette: Makes a Promise in Advance to Accept and Uphold A Long-Term Truce [if America Offers it To Him] & At the Same Time Threatens New Attacks in the U.S.

On January 19, 2006, Al-Jazeera TV broadcast excerpts from a new audiocassette by Osama bin Laden, in which the Al-Qaeda leader threatens further attacks on the U.S., "immediately with the completion of the preparations.”

At the same time, bin Laden makes a plea to accept and uphold a long term truce under fair conditions [if America offers it to him], which will provide security and stability to both sides and will make it possible to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan. "We are a nation forbidden by Allah to betray and lie," promises bin Laden.

Contrary to mistranslations in the media, from Al-Jazeera for example, [1] bin Laden did not offer a truce, but made a plea to genuinely uphold one if America offers it to him.

Tomorrow, the subtitled clip will be available on http://www.memritv.org/ .

The following are excerpts from bin Laden's statements on the audiocassette:

"My letter to you refers to the war in Iraq and in Afghanistan, and how to bring about its end. I did not intend to talk with you about this subject because for us, it's a closed matter. Only iron can defeat iron. Our situation, Allah be praised, is improving, while your situation is the opposite, but what brought me to speak are the repeated words of deceit by your president Bush, in his interpretation of the results of public opinion polls amongst you, which showed that the overwhelming majority of your public seeks to withdraw the forces from Iraq - but [Bush] opposed this and said that withdrawing the forces will convey the wrong message to the adversaries, and that it is preferable that we fight them on their soil rather than they fight us on our soil.

"I have an answer to these words of deceit, as follows: The war in Iraq is combusting without cessation, and the [military] operations in Afghanistan are in constant escalation in our favor, Allah be praised, and the Pentagon's numbers indicate an ongoing rise in the number of your killed and wounded, in addition to the huge material damage."

[...]

"... I say that the poll results please those of you who are wise, and that Bush's rejection of the results is a mistake, and that reality shows that the war against America and its allies has not remained limited to Iraq, as Bush claims, but rather Iraq has become a source of attraction and recruitment of qualified forces. On the other hand, the mujahidoun have, with Allah's help, succeeded time after time in breaking through all security measures taken by all the oppressing coalition countries.

Evidence of this is the explosions you have witnessed in the capitals of the most important European countries that are members of this hostile coalition. Any delay in similar operations in America does not stem from lack of ability to break through your security measures. The operations are in the stages of preparation, and you will yet see them, in the heart of your homes, immediately with the completion of the preparations, with Allah's help."

[...]

"Based on the above, it can be clearly seen that Bush's words are false, but what he refrained from saying - and this is the essence of the poll results, which favor troop withdrawal - is that it is better that we do not fight the Muslims on their soil, and they will not fight us on our soil.

"We have no objection to accepting a long-term cease fire under fair conditions which we will uphold. We are a nation forbidden by Allah to betray and lie. Both sides will benefit from such a cease fire, from security and stability, and we will build Iraq and Afghanistan which have been destroyed in the war. There is nothing wrong with this solution, except that it will prevent the flow of hundreds of billions [dollars] to influential individuals and to the merchants of war in America who supported Bush's election with billions of dollars."

[1] http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/593298A0-3C1A-4EB4-B29D-EA1A9678D922.htm

Techorati tags: Al-Qaeda, War, Peace, SITE Institute, Bin Laden, Al-Jazeera, Afghanistan, Iraq, MEMRI, and Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

The Thai Insurgency: Two Years On

In Thailand there are 247 villages under the control of insurgences. While the government is touting 190 arrests, not convictions, this does not even equal 1 insurgent per village. If we had a crime rate that low, I do believe we would celebrate the LACK of crime, not the capture of the criminals. That is not to equate terrorists with criminals, but the facts are stubborn things.

US terrorism expert Zachary Abuza has told The Australian that the Muslim insurgency [Jemaah Islamiah-linked terrorists in southern Thailand] could spread from the hinterland to beach resorts, such as Phuket, frequented by Western tourists. ...

"We continue to receive reports that terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets, including places frequented by foreigners," the DFAT website warns. But the threats have been more specific, with past intelligence acknowledging that the areas of Phuket, Pattong Pattaya, Bangkok and the island of Samui could be targeted. ...

In the past 10 days, 19 people - five of them policemen - have been killed in attacks in southern Thailand.

While a raid by militants two years ago on a weapons depot in Narathiwat province is generally regarded as the start of the Muslim insurgency, Dr Abuza said the violence had been spreading, albeit slowly, for several years.

Dr Abuza has warned that there are insurgent leaders who want to take terrorism to the next level, and they could be helped by JI or whatever form al-Qa'ida might take, by attacking places such as Bangkok or Phuket.

Neil Fergus, the chief executive of Intelligence Risks, and terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna all contributed this article by Natalie O'Brien of The Australian. The article is dated January 11, 2006.

In the meantime, there has been reports of more explosions in Thailand, however I was unable to source any information on that. However the Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr. Thaksin Shinawtra has put together a plan within the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology which will seek to inspect the usage of roaming mobile phones.

There is mention of a terrorist attack that had used 'sim' cards from Malaysia to detonate a bomb. While the PM does not believe there is available enough power in the relay stations in neighboring countries to transmit such a call, he has asked the ICT Ministry to investigate the issue.

Air Chief Marshal Khongsak Wanthana (คงศักดิ์ วันทนา), the interior minister, said the call was made in an overlapping area between Thailand's and Malaysia's border, and both countries would find ways to prevent such calls.

Credits due to Thais News.

It would appear other countries want to save their own hides, so to speak. When death is crouching at their door It is a pretty good motivator. Do you think maybe now they will understand why the United States does what it needs to in order to protect her citizens? Well, it was just a thought.

At Counter Terrorism, Zachary Abuza has written a very detailed and serious article on this situation. (Yes, he is the man who was interviewed at the beginning of this article.) He sees this from a perspective that only people without voices hold. He believes this is a type of religious war, but not in the same way as many may ponder.

Many of the people who are being murdered by this group are Muslim. It is a war within Islam.

According to The Nation, “Ninth Police Region records show that more than half of the non-security personnel assassinated over the two years are Muslims. In Pattani, Muslim casualties number 330 against 141 Buddhists; in Yala it is 222 to 99; and in Narathiwat the figures are 1,406 to 237.”

Very simply the militants are ideologically and religiously motivated; they are trying to impose a very austere and intolerant form of Islam on their society and they countenance no opposition to this. They are going after not just collaborators, or individuals who receive a government salary, but also Muslim clerics who perform funeral rites for murtad – or apostates; or teachers who work in schools that have mixed curriculums. [continue reading]

It is very sensible and leaves one thinking, "What if they make it over here? What if they are here already here? Am I prepared to defend my country, my neighbor, myself?"

These are just a few questions you should answer very seriously, you have not already. Remember, other Muslims have the greatest risk to their lives by other Muslims. We must help those who are innocent.

Hat tip to Zachary Abuza at Counter Terrorism.

War on Terror Update Part 2

Will Counterterrorism Experts Ignore New Evidence of Saddam's Terrorist Ties? Andrew Cochran does a fabulous job bringing forth this information that should be on the front pages of all rags...er...major newspapers. If you are interested in the connection between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda, this is a must read.

Steven Emerson: Al Qaeda & the Taliban "Resurrect" Themselves. Andrew Cochran writes an article about Steve's program this morning. al Qaeda is even moving into the Gaza Strip. I could have told them that years ago. It is a must read with many links.

Dr. Ely Karmon: "Who Bombed Northern Israel?" Evan Kohlmann has provided an article by Dr. Ely Karmon which goes into detail about the growth and spread of al Qaeda. I hope the people wake up soon and realize we are at war, whether we choose it or not.

Saudi Arabia contributing to the expansion of terrorism. Olivier Guitta has written another piece that does not much explaining, but certainly more attention.

War on Terror Update

Our First Anniversary - Thanks to Contributing Experts & Readers - Some Perspectives. First of all, I would like to wish Counter Terrorism's site (and Andrew Cochran who wrote this particular article) a very warm Happy Blogiversery! I appreciate all the very diligent, thorough, and difficult work they do for the betterment of the public understanding.

I am going to share with you some of the articles they have been working on as of late. Damra Departs, Sooner Than Later It Would Appear… Bill West deals with a man who not only lied on his naturalized citizenship application papers, but he is/was also the Imam of the one of the largest mosques in Ohio near Cleveland. He also had ties to the first bombing of the WTC. It is a good read filled with information you will not find outside a few sites.

More Africa Connections in the New World Mayhem. Douglas Farah explains what I have been stating for many years now. If we ignore this area of the world, we do so at our peril. Read this article to find out why.

Political Uncertainty in the Wake of Ariel Sharon's Stroke. I cannot find the words to express my sadness, except please pray for Israel and PM Sharon. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross has written a fine article. One which will make you think.

Here is one near and dear to my heart. Immigration and National Security - Looking Back and Looking Ahead. Bill West has done a wonderful job researching this article. If this is one of your issues, this is a must read. You may not know as much as you think you do!

Belgium, hotbed for Islamist terrorism. Olivier Guitta has some chilling facts that were uncovered. The woman that went to Iraq to perform a suicide attack was one of several wives connected to jailed Islamists. If you want to know what the person who escaped prison in Holland for the murder of Van Gogh, read this article.

Well, to be fair, I must report the mistakes with successes. Report Released on FBI's Handling of Brandon Mayfield Case & Fingerprint Errors. It is a very interesting read by Andrew Cochran. I believe I need to know more than a lay person to completely discern this one. lol.

There are four more articles that are must reads, and I am going to post them in the next article. They carry that much weight. Please look for them when I get them ready. Thank you.

Why is Iran Seeking a Crisis Now?

It is very seldom that Doctor Zin spots an article that causes him to e-mail me and tell me it is a must right...right now. When it comes to Iran, I do not question his judgement.

Not everyone is interested in Iran. I am. I care about the Iranian people, the Israeli people, and the American people. 'President' Ahmadinejad is losing his mind and in the process, he has replaced practically all the people in any kind of power with his own people. This includes middle to lower level people.
Alan Peters: Special Report

Analysts watching Iran on a daily basis were not taken by surprise by the Islamic Regime not showing up at the International Atomic Energy Agency on January 05, 2006, since reports out of Tehran have for the past weeks been mentioning President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad's office privately leaking to the Tehran newspapers that Iran already has four nuclear weapons obtained from the Ukraine.
Apparently, he is using the situation with Prime Minister Sharon as an excuse to force the hand of other countries.

This would be the wrong thing to do, IMHO. The students are have been protested, but we do not here about this. (Remember Eason Jordan, head of CNN? He knew the torture and murder that was a daily way of life in Iraq, but nothing was ever said. He believed the access, and not the lives of the Iraqi people, was more important.)

We will not heare about the goings on inside of Iran, except through contacts. I will never disclose them, because their lives are endangered enough. What is needed is the financial backing of the United States, as President Bush stated, so they can overcome the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC.)

Ahmadinejad is trying to draw countries into a confrontation so he can gain standing through a cease-fire. He has already tried to control the students, but he has sorely failed. He has underestimated them and their thirst for freedom. They hate the mullahs, and their treatment by them.

We must not succumb. We should arm the student and their backers, and allow them to fight for their own freedom. They are a proud people. If we were to go in, they would have no choice but to fight against us. Let us be smart about this.

Here is the article in case you would like to read it. I highly recommend it. Have a good night.

Techorati tags: Iran, war, peace, and students.

The Hunt for Terror Nukes

Hat tip to Homeland Security Headlines, Tuesday, Januaru 3, 2006 13:19 +0000

When U.S. News broke a story the day before Christmas about radiation detection efforts taking place in the capital of the United States, most of the attention such a startling development might have received was diverted by the timing and the emphasis on whether such monitoring might in some way violate civil rights.

Read Article

Does the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood have ties to terrorism

This article, "Does the Muslim Brotherhood Have Ties to Terrorism?" is posted with permission of its author, Mary Crane and the kind editors of Council on Foreign Relations.


Author: Mary Crane
April 5, 2005
Does the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Have Ties to Terrorism?

Does the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Have Ties to Terrorism?
It’s unclear. A widespread Islamist organization founded in 1928, the Brotherhood seeks to Islamize societies from the ground up and compel governments in Muslim countries to adhere to sharia, or Islamic law. At various times in its history, the group has used or supported violence and has been repeatedly banned in Egypt for attempting to overthrow Cairo’s secular government. Since the 1970s, however, the Egyptian Brotherhood has disavowed violence and sought to participate in Egyptian politics. The U.S. State Department does not include the group on its list of terrorist organizations. The Brotherhood denounced the April 7 bombing in Cairo by a previously unknown militant group, the Al-Ezz Islamic Brigades, calling it a “cowardly act,” The Associated Press reported. Still, the Egyptian government mistrusts the Brotherhood’s pledge of nonviolence and continues to ban the organization.

One reason the Brotherhood’s commitment to nonviolence is unclear: The original Egyptian organization has spawned branches in 70 countries. These organizations bear the Brotherhood name, but their connections to the founding group vary and some of them may provide financial, logistical, or other support to terrorist organizations. Some terrorist groups—including Hamas, Jamaat al-Islamiyya, and al-Qaeda—have historic and ideological affiliations with the Egyptian Brotherhood. In addition, some of the world’s most dangerous terrorists were once Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood members, including Osama bin Laden’s top deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri. The organization is like “stepping stone,” says Evan Kohlmann, an international terrorism consultant. “[For] someone who is interested in dedicating their lives to a radical Islamist cause, it can be a pathway up…to a more serious dealing with Islam.”

Despite these links, many experts view the Brotherhood as more moderate than other Islamist organizations operating in the Middle East. “The bulk of the group is peaceful,” says Kenneth Katzman, senior Middle East analyst for the Congressional Research Service. In Egypt, the banned Brotherhood has significant political influence, forging alliances over the last twenty years with legal Egyptian political groups including New Wafd, Liberal, and Socialist Labor parties. Its supporters lead many Egyptian professional unions, are active on university campuses, and have pioneered popular social welfare programs. Muslim Brotherhood members ran as independents in the 2000 Egyptian parliamentary elections and won 17 of the 454 seats, making the group the nation’s largest opposition faction. On March 30, the group rallied 3,000 protestors in Cairo to demand the repeal of Egypt’s decades-old Emergency Law. Scores of Brotherhood members have been arrested and tried under the law, which critics claim restricts personal freedoms and impedes fair elections.

Some U.S. officials say legalizing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is dangerous, given the group’s potential terror links and its long history of opposition to Israel. Others say legalization could draw moderate Muslims who identify with the Brotherhood’s ideology to participate in electoral politics, thereby isolating violent jihadis. For its part, the Brotherhood is eager to play a larger role in local and national politics. Brotherhood officials told the Associated Press in March they would consider running a candidate in Egypt’s first competitive presidential election, planned for September, if the government ban on their participation is lifted. Many experts say that’s unlikely, as such a move would directly threaten President Hosni Mubarak’s 24-year hold on power.