Posted on 04/21/2006 9:47:38 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
In 2001, Cornell University announced a bold new project. With $750 million dollars in funds pledged by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, the University declared its intention to build a new medical school campus in Qatar.
The Qatar Foundation, while private, was set up by Qatar's Emir (read "dictator"), Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and is currently chaired by the Emir's wife.
At the time of its announcement and thereafter, many concerned students and alumni protested the University's decision to open a campus in Qatar. Gay rights activists questioned whether Cornell should open a satellite campus in a country with discriminatory laws against them while a conservative columnist chided the Universityfor allying itself with a country which, at the time, was vocally opposed to America's War on Terrorism. These all remain valid points.
In recent days, a new concern has emerged. While the civilized world has pledged to withhold aid from the newly formed Palestinian government headed by the terrorist organization Hamas, Qatar has joined the terrorist state of Iran in pledging millions of dollars to the government. To put it bluntly: The Emir has committed his country to supporting a Palestinian regime with genocidal intentions.
I don't use the term genocide lightly. Hamas' charter not only calls for the destruction of Israel, but the killing of Jews. This is a genocidal goal. And Qatar has signed on as a financial backer.
Can Cornell maintain its silence? I think not, unless it wants to remain neutral on the question of murdering Jews.
Just this week, a suicide bomber killed eight innocent Israelis. The bomber targeted them for death for being Israelis, for being Jews. The Hamas controlled Palestinian Authority praised the attack. In doing so, the newly installed Palestinian government went on record to endorse wanton and intentional slaughter. Any decent society would find that the only option in dealing with such a government would be to cut off ties with it. But not Qatar. No no. They are helping to finance this government.
I find it reprehensible that the Qatari government may be giving, as some reports suggest, millions of dollars to al-Qaeda in order to thwart an attack on the country - this money, mind you, could very well be used by al-Qaeda to attack America.
It is not as if Cornell has built a satellite campus in Qatar that is independent of the Qatari government. It is the Emir's very own foundation that is funding its construction. And his government has made the dastardly decision to fund terrorism by supporting Hamas and possibly paying off al-Qaeda.
So, Cornell, the ball is in your court. Will you make a statement of outrage and distance yourself from Qatar's hideous policy? Will you return the Emir's money? Will you shut down the University until the Qatari government repudiates its position and changes its ways? Or will you do nothing?
Make no mistake: Cornell's reputation is on the line. We already have taken one big blow in recent weeks with Professor pugilist Cynthia McKinney, herself an apologist of terrorism, attacking a Capitol Hill police officer. Now is the time for Cornell to take control of its reputation. It must take tangible steps to distance itself from its partner in Qatar. It must repudiate Qatar's Emir who, while lavishing funds upon Cornell, also acts as the sugar daddy of one of the most heinous regimes that exists today.
you lie down with dogs, you get fleas....
Do I really put much stock in aything the gay activist community prattles about? In one NYC gay weekly, there is extensive coverage on the persecution endured by gays in the Muslim world---especially Iran. They are right in focusing in on this. But there is a total disconnect when looking at the bigger picture. The gay community has its perfectly toned gym bunny tuchas sitting in a prominent position on every other liberal bandwagon.
I'm less concerned about the gay rights issue than about funding Hamas and possibly Al Quaeda. Or did you not bother to read that part?
Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel.
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Or,.....Whores DO provide a service said Cornell's president?
I spent seven months there from August 2003 to April 2004 and was impressed by how westernized it was. Giving a token payment to Hamas-and I do not support that move-does not count for as much as all of the rest of the support in the GWOT they have given as far as I am concerned.
Doha, Qatar, is the home of Egyptian expatriate and Muslim Brother Sheikh Yusif al-Qaradawi. Qaradawi's hatred for the United States is well known, and the Salafist Sheikh himself is prohibited from entering the United States, even to visit Boston where he was once sponsor of mosque construction. Qatar is also the major sponsor of Al Jazeera media, and looks kindly on Qaradawi's TV program Al-Sharia wa Al-Haya (Islamic Law and Life), a pulpit from which the viperous Sheikh spews his venom on all things Western and non-Islamic.
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