United States

Submitted by Patrick Buchanan via Buchanan.org,

The New Year’s execution by Saudi Arabia of the Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr was a deliberate provocation.

Its first purpose: Signal the new ruthlessness and resolve of the Saudi monarchy where the power behind the throne is the octogenarian King Salman’s son, the 30-year-old Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

 

Second, crystallize, widen and deepen a national-religious divide between Sunni and Shiite, Arab and Persian, Riyadh and Tehran.

 

Submitted by Judith Bergman via The Gatestone Institute,

• Is this House Resolution a prelude? Has Attorney General Lynch seen the potential for someone lifting her "mantle of anti-Muslim rhetoric"? And what is "anti-Muslim rhetoric" exactly? Criticizing Islam? Debating Mohammed? Discussing whether ISIS is a true manifestation of Islam? Who decides the definition of "hate speech" against Muslims?

British MPs have decided to hold a debate in Parliament about whether U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump should be allowed into the UK following a petition that attracted 565,000 signatures calling for Trump to be barred from the UK. The House of Commons petitions committee announced that a debate would be held on January 18th, in Parliament’s secondary debating chamber. Politico.eu reports: A rival petition opposing a ban has been signed by nearly 40,000 people. It will also be debated.

Authored by Nomi Prins, author of "All The Presidents' Bankers", via NomiPrins.com,

“It’s not as if you have an Iranian alternative. And if you have no alternative, your best choice is to stop complaining about the Saudis.”

That’s a quote from a “senior Gulf Arab official” who spoke to The New York Times about Washington's position on the sectarian strife playing out across the Mid-East.

As a refresher, an already volatile situation took a decisive turn for the worst over the weekend when Saudi Arabia executed Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, sparking outrage across the Shiite community.