British Government SUSPENDS links with Muslim Council of Britain over Gaza statement

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• America’s CAIR’s expulsion by FBI well-deserved and overdue: A week ago, the FBI officially announced that it has cut ties with the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The self-styled civil-rights organization is characteristically squawking, but the FBI’s move was patently overdue — so much so that we ought to be asking: Why on earth did the FBI have ties with CAIR in the first place?

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23rd March, 2009

The Istanbul declaration said: “The obligation of the Islamic Nation [is] to regard the sending of foreign warships into Muslim waters, claiming to control the borders and prevent the smuggling of arms to Gaza, as a declaration of war, a new occupation, sinful aggression, and a clear violation of the sovereignty of the Nation. This must be rejected and fought by all means and ways.”

During the Gaza conflict, Gordon Brown suggested sending forces to help stop weapons smuggling into Gaza.

The obligation of the ‘ISLAMIC NATION’!?

What ‘Islamic Nation‘?

I understood there was NO Caliphate yet in existence. Still, it’s nice to see our government is getting on top of things, AT LAST, even if The Guardian and its ilk are invariably elsewhere!

Government suspends links with Muslim Council of Britain over Gaza

Before you get TOO excited that the government’s eyes might be finally opening to the threats from within our country, note that the report says it is “suspending links” not breaking them as reported elsewhere. So there’s always a way back. Especially when the insulted complain about their “hurt feelings”.

This move comes after this body refuses to sack senior member over statements urging Muslims to resist Israeli military:  Read Hazel Blears’s letter (pdf)

Article:

The government has suspended ties with Britain’s largest Muslim group and demanded that one of its leaders should be removed from office for allegedly supporting violence against Israel.

The news comes on the eve of the launch of a major government strategy aimed at fostering closer ties with Muslims to help counter the threat of Islamist terrorism.

The launch tomorrow of Contest 2, the government’s revised counter-terrorism strategy, comes after ministers decided to stop engaging with the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB).

The council’s deputy secretary-general, Daud Abdullah, signed a declaration last month that the government and critics of the MCB have interpreted as calling for violence against Israel and condoning attacks on British troops.

The declaration followed a meeting in Istanbul of clerics and other Muslim leaders from around the world to discuss strategy after Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

Hazel Blears, secretary of state for communities and local government, wrote to the MCB saying Abdullah should be asked to “resign his post” for signing a statement that supported Hamas and celebrated its “victory” against “this malicious Jewish Zionist war over Gaza”.

Muslims who are sceptical of government anti-terror plans say they cannot think of any other occasion where a cabinet minister has tried to dictate to a religious group about the composition of its leadership.

Abdullah, speaking for the first time about the row, told the Guardian he would not be standing down.

He said of his views: “If British troops were to engage in a breach of international law, it is up to the people of the territory to decide what to do. But as I understand it, under international law, it is their right to resist.”

He defended signing the statement, saying: “It made no specific mention of attacks on British troops. The statement does say if foreign troops enter Gaza’s territorial waters, it is the duty of Muslims to resist, as it would be seen as assisting the siege.”

Later, in an email, Abdullah said: “I did not and do not condone calls for attacks on British troops.

“The British government has not deployed troops to the territorial waters of Gaza and I do not believe it or our parliament would endorse any breach of international law.

“Any discussions about what should or would happen is hypothetical and I cannot speculate.”

Blears demanded that the MCB remove Abdullah from office and demanded to know what its leaders planned to do by today.

In her letter, dated 13 March , Blears wrote: “In light of the MCB’s unequivocal stance on violence, it would seem that Dr Abdullah’s position as the deputy secretary-general would be incompatible with his recent actions.”

Blears’s letter notes that the MCB would be investigating the matter, but says she was breaking links with the group, which was once seen as vital by the government to building better relations with British Muslims: “Whilst your investigation is ongoing and the matter remains unresolved I feel that it is only appropriate for us to suspend our engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain pending its outcome.”

In a statement, the communities and local government department said: “We … are very concerned that the statement from the event calls for direct support for acts of violence in the Middle East and beyond.

“We are concerned that the MCB have so far not recognised the gravity of this situation. If it is proven that the individual concerned had been a signatory, we would expect them to ask him to resign and for the MCB to confirm their opposition to acts of violent extremism.”

An MCB spokesman today condemned the government for trying to interfere in its internal affairs and said the cabinet minister’s demand would be ignored: “The MCB is a democratic organisation, with its own affiliates, and they decide who its representatives are, and not Ms Blears.”

The Istanbul declaration said: “The obligation of the Islamic Nation [is] to regard the sending of foreign warships into Muslim waters, claiming to control the borders and prevent the smuggling of arms to Gaza, as a declaration of war, a new occupation, sinful aggression, and a clear violation of the sovereignty of the Nation. This must be rejected and fought by all means and ways.”

During the Gaza conflict, Gordon Brown suggested sending forces to help stop weapons smuggling into Gaza.

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Guardian’s Inayat Bunglawala:no charges for knife attack … er … defence

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Updated 15 Dec, 2009:

The Iraqi government’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, says he supports Blair on removing Saddam, WMDs or not. (video clip of Blair interview.) Meanwhile anti-Iraq war campaigners are “shocked” over Blair’s words. Well, fancy that! I’m shocked. As is Melanie Phillips perhaps – or perhaps not – at the press’s  untruthfulness in their reports on the  ongoing Iraq Inquiry.

Comment at end

23rd March, 2009

INAYAT BUNGLAWALA WILL FACE NO CHARGES OVER STABBING THIS MAN 6 TIMES

WOUNDS SUSTAINED BY LUTON MAN, ALLEGEDLY STABBED BY INAYAT BUNGLAWALA, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MUSLIM COUNCIL OF BRITAIN.

It was self-defence. Well, with that number of stabs at the man, Mr Bunglawala is handy with a knife! Not to mention pretty determined.

Inayat Bunglawala sounding off against the government (and country) he was supposed to be helping. A fully paid-up member of the 'Enemy Within'? I know what I think.

FIFTH COLUMN GUARDIAN CIF-ERS WILL BE DELIGHTED

This Guardian journalist’s ‘Cif-ers’ will no doubt be relieved. I have had several run-ins with the Cif-ers who I consider largely a FIFTH COLUMN.  See here, from July 2008. One of my commenters suggested that some of Bunglawala’s commenters on his October 2007 article should be charged with treason.

Not sure about the commenters. They’re too dull to understand English, much less politics.

But I think Bunglawala should have been charged with treacherous behaviour or at least libel. Accusing Tony Blair of declaring war on Iran, when he was no longer Prime Minister, thus politically powerless, was unforgivable.

This Guardian writer is not to be trusted, in my humble opinion.

Isn’t it odd that if you go to the The Guardian’s search box and type in ‘Inayat Bunglawala’ all you get are his recent articles? Nothing about this news item. I suppose it’s kind of embarrassing for them to write much about this story.

Wonder why I used to think that newspapers were about news and not opinion.

Oh the naivety of it!

And why do I get this niggling feeling that if Mr Bunglawala had been, say, Mr Smith and the intruder had been, say, Mr Mohammed, the CPS might just have decided to press charges against said fictional Mr Smith?

Can’t imagine.

Call me suspicious …

Excerpt from The Daily Mail

An influential Muslim who advises the Government on combating terrorism will not face charges, despite stabbing a man at his home.

Prosecutors have decided that Inayat Bunglawala acted in self-defence when a drunk turned up at his £300,000 house in Luton, Bedfordshire, in the early hours of the morning.

After a scuffle, the 25-year-old man was left bleeding from six knife wounds to his back, requiring emergency surgery that confined him to hospital for four days.

But the Crown Prosecution Service has accepted Mr Bunglawala’s version of events and has dropped the case – to the immense anger of the injured man and his family.

The man, who has asked to not be named, has no history of violent behaviour but admits he was drunk and that he has no recollection of the incident.

Mr Bunglawala, a prominent member of the Muslim Council Of Great Britain, says he was defending the home where he lives with his wife Tahmina and three young children from an intruder who smashed a window, attempted to kick in the door and – when confronted – tried to throttle hi.

Mr Bunglawala, a former civil servant with Revenue & Customs, was appointed to a Home Office taskforce tackling radicalisation in Britain after the July 7 London bombings in 2005.

He now runs an Islamic website.

More here

Ah-hah! ‘The Muslim Council of Great Britain’?

The group Tony Blair came to distrust towards the end of his time as PM.

Excerpt from Islam in Action, 16th March:

Mr Bunglawala is one of the most prominent members of the Muslim Council of Britain, an organisation which advises the Government on extremism and counter-terrorism. After the July 7 London bombings in 2005, he was one of seven Muslims appointed to a Home Office taskforce tackling radicalisation in the UK.

Last week, Mr Bunglawala was featured on the BBC and in many newspapers as the moderate ‘voice’ of British Islam after the Luton anti-war demonstrations.  Critics claim his arrest will once again focus attention on the MCB.

In his final years as Prime Minister, Tony Blair came to distrust the organisation amid claims it was linked to Islamic extremism. But the MCB has enjoyed a renaissance under Gordon Brown and briefed Counter-Terrorism Minister Bill Rammell on community tensions last week. MCB representatives also advised Foreign Secretary David Miliband during last year’s Israel-Gaza War.

Yes, The Muslim Council of Great Britain – doesn’t it make you proud?

Now therein lies a NEW TALE … see next post.

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EXTREME or SENSIBLE? Demoting Islam’s “Religion” Status

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BREAKING!!! – UK Government cuts off links with The Muslim Council of Britain – WOW! What’s happened?! Are you sure you’re feeling all right, Ms Blears (letter here), Mr Brown? AND LOOK AT THIS – the Guardian’s Muslim-in-chief  writer Inayat Bunglawala arrested – “knife crime”?

Comment at end

23rd March, 2009

A couple of posts ago while reviewing Mr Blair’s recent trip to the Philippines and his use of the words -  “it is a battle about Islam” – for the first time EVER not weakened by any reference to “the true (faith of) Islam”, I referred readers to other writers’ and bloggers’ thoughts on where the world is right now on Islam and the meaning of Islam. I referred to Jihad Watch as an example.

(Btw, remember – you WON’T get any of this in the newspapers, especially not here in Britain)

I have now come across this article from Islam in Action, which should be digested, even if you don’t agree with it in principle.

WHY? Because IF the writer is right and allowing Islam to “pretend” it is no more than another religion we might learn too late that it is anything BUT a religion. If further encroachment into our western secular democracies by this political “religion” DOES result in the state of disrepair and chaos mentioned, you can’t say you weren’t warned.

The worst thing this kind of article can do, given the present President of the World’s intentions to  speak to ALL so that none will be left behind - is to encourage ALL to try a little harder not to make enemies of the west.

This article – “Demoting Islam’s Religion Status” from Islam In Action may seem rather extreme in this proposition. But it is no more extreme than the view, not as yet disowned by ANY AUTHORITATIVE Islamic body, that Islam has designs on a Worldwide Caliphate.

When I hear such ambitions denied by someone in the Islamic world we can trust AND when I see Islamist fundamentalists accept that kind of authority I will agree that the below is an extreme position.

It will not have escaped your notice that although the world’s leading political Christian has his own Faith Foundation which speaks to all people of all religions, the Islamic World has nowhere an equivalent.  And yet it is in the name of the Islamic world that murderous atrocities are still perpetrated, almost daily.

I don’t want to find that my bit of fiction Wikipedia Labour Party 2050 turns out to be factual.

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Islam in Action says the article ‘was sent in by fellow anti-Islamist Martel Sobiesky. As usual Martel hits the nail on the head. “Moderate” Islam is not coming to the rescue.’

By Martel Sobiesky

One thing is certain, Islam is not a religion by anything Americans believe one to be – not even close. In fact, Islam is the antithesis of what we deem to be religious. Above all, Islam is a totalitarian political machine of blood thirsty conquest which zealously advocates the downfall of the U.S. government. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world…” because he was 100% non-political. In extreme contrast, Mohammed and the Koran bellicosely command YOUR KINGDOM IS MY KINGDOM, surrender or die! Let’s be to the point. It is sheer madness, exceedingly irresponsible, criminally negligent, and strategically suicidal to continue granting religion status to an absolutely aggressive and implacable ideology that demands the destruction of our government and all other religions.

It is well past time, the truthful facts be told about Islam. Our leadership and intelligence community have lied and lied again, referring to Islam as a religion of peace. If Islam is to be categorized as a religion – then it must be called what it truthfully is – A RELIGION OF WAR. Unfortunately our leadership has become so inept, they have chosen to be in denial of this obvious fact, and entertain fanciful notions – that by calling a “blood thirsty tiger” a “bunny rabbit” it will magically transform into one.

This means, we now have America’s Sugar Plum Fairy National Security Policy: All of the Islamofascists can be won over by simply labeling them “friends”. How dare we even utter the word enemy, that might upset them. We now have a national security mantra: Islam is perfect! Islam is perfect! Islam is perfect!

The purpose of this article is to introduce that Islam’s religion status is undeserving, that it should never have been granted in the first place, and that it’s religion status should be immediately rescinded.

Why? Because Islam whether you call it moderate, militant, main stream, traditional or radical is a relentless foe inherently programmed to conqueror its host nation. Fail to understand this point and Islam will continue “trashing” civil liberties, shedding bloody pandemonium, wreaking havoc, litigating as warfare, demanding special privileges, and instigating anarchy until its host country suffers irreparable harm if not outright defeat. Such is the virulent modus operandi being used by Islam in England, Spain, India, France, Thailand, Holland, Bali, Lebanon, Denmark, Sweden, Philippines, Russia, America and elsewhere.

Perhaps, this is why Dr. Paul Williams author of “The Dunes of Doomsday” so truthfully and valiantly states in Chapter 1 “Refusing to Identify the Enemy”:
“The enemy is Islam. Not a fringe group within the body of believers … Not radical Islam as if a faction can be separated from the “mainstream” Islam. But Islam itself, as expressed by the life and teachings of Muhammad …”

An Impostor Religion

To put it bluntly Islam’s religion status should be rescinded because it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a Trojan horse, an impostor religion that has arrived on our shore with malicious intent, deathly determined to replace our constitution with the Koran, and turn America into an Islamic nation controlled by Sharia law. Robert Spencer in his excellent book, “Stealth Jihad” (How Radical Islam Is Subverting America Without Guns or Bombs), explains how so-called moderate Islam is having greater success at invading America than its counterpart militant Islam.

Shockingly, one may rightly conclude that America is now being conquered without Islam even having to fire a shot. Have we really become that docile, self complacent and pathetic? The answer is Yes!

The Sham of Moderate Islam

Does this mean that even so-called moderate Muslims are hostile to America? It certainly does. Moderate Muslims support the conquest of America with a fervor equal to that of the militant Muslims. They cunningly play the role of the “good cop” in their good cop, bad cop charade deceiving we gullible Americans. In fact, the “two hands” of Islam aspire to choke the life out of America. One hand is called militant Muslims, the other hand is called moderate Muslims. These “two hands” work together, in their Koranically mandated asphyxiation pogrom, of strangling America into submission. This point cannot be overemphasized.

In 1974 Algerian President Boumendienne made a prophetic statement to the United Nations General Assembly:
“One day millions of men will leave the southern hemisphere of this planet to burst into the northern one. But not as friends. Because they will burst in to conquer, and they will conquer by populating it with their children. Victory will come to us from the wombs of our women.”
How accurately prophetic he was. Today, one can see no assimilation by Muslims in their host nations and they frequently exhibit open hostility turning entire cities into Moslem enclaves which the police are reluctant to enter. In addition, their birthrate is four times the European average creating a large cash deficient within the social welfare system. It is hardly an exaggeration to say, the Moslem immigration is like a “swarm of invading locusts” devouring everything in their path.
Dutch Politician Geert Wilders, having suffered first hand the “devouring” of his nation by so-called moderate Islam, unflinchingly states in his article, “The Islamization of Europe”…“There is no Moderate Islam”. The United States, like all besieged western democracies, must heed Geert Wilders warning if they wish to protect themselves. Clearly, the safe harbor of religion status enables the “two hands” of Islam to launch clandestine raids upon their host nation, sapping at its vitals from within.

A Road To Hell

The severity of the moderate Islam invasion is thoroughly understood by Islamic experts like Amil Amani. In his article, “A Bridge To “Moderate” Islam Is In Fact a Road to Hell.” He emphatically warns there is no such thing as moderate Islam and to call it so is an oxymoron, a contradiction. Specifically he states:

“Since moderate Islam is oxymoronic, any moderacy in Islam is in fact incompatible and in conflict with essential Islam, its power structure and its controlling proponents . . . Islam is not personally or spiritually relevant. It is political, which is why it may never separate itself from government. Adherence is not a matter of voluntary devotion, but of the law, and violators are severely punished, including capital punishment . . .”

Another enlightened expert who has personally witnessed that moderate Islam is a road to hell is Brigitte Gabriel. In her book, “Because They Hate”.” she gives a clarion call describing how the ruse of moderate Islam turned her home country of Lebanon into a “living nightmare.” She states:

“We were renowned for our hospitality, good heartedness, and generosity, just as America is know for the same qualities today. Sadly, those same qualities were the cause of our destruction . . . We did not realize that the intolerant Islamic side of our culture was gaining strength on the back of our western openness and pride in diversity.”

Most likely, Brigitte Gabriel would agree that providing religion status to Islam, believing main stream Islam to be moderate, was a major contributor to the destruction of Lebanon. The key point is that so-called moderate Muslims are as fiercely intolerant as militant Muslims, but are more skillful at concealing their agenda and deceiving their host nation until the time is right for them to strike. Brigitte Gabriel tells how usually peaceful Muslim neighbors who had befriended them for decades all of a sudden rose up to kill non-Muslims.

Murderous Intolerance

Such murderous intolerance is fully entrenched within Islam. The so-called moderates fully support these murderous attacks in their “hidden hearts”, rarely paying even lip service to the contrary. Their silence has been “deafening.”

Why? Because they dare not challenge the inviolate precedents set by their prophet which would be a capital offense. For example, in 623 A.D. Mohammed was infuriated with the female poet Asma Bint Marwan for criticizing him, and sent his henchman to kill her and her five children. They ripped the infant from her breast and hacked it to pieces before her very eyes. They then made her watch the murder of her other four children, before raping and stabbing her repeatedly to death. After the butchery Mohammed told his henchman, “You have done a service to Allah and his Messenger.”

The killing of persons who criticize Islam has never abated and perhaps is even more alive today than in the 7th century.

A few years ago in the U.S. an Egyptian Christian, his wife and two children had their throats cut for challenging Islam, mistakenly believing our free speech laws would protect them. Nearly everyday one hears of some gruesome murder, decapitation, or other violent crime committed by contemporary Muslims who are emulating the example of their prophet.

The Heart War

99.9% of all Muslims have a deeply held secret agenda (wish) that Islam will conquer their host country and turn it into an Islamic nation such is their indelible religious conditioning. This obvious fact has been completely neglected, ignored, avoided and shunned by the leadership of western democracies to their great detriment, including America.

Fortunately we have one Islamic expert who is trying to awaken our leadership and his sleeping counterparts in the defense department and intelligence community. He is truly a “shinning star” and a person of insightful wisdom who should be promoted to the highest positions. Major Stephen Collins Coughlin has written a 333 page thesis entitled, “To Our Great Detriment”.

On pages 171-175 he provides a quote that reveals the concealed heart of so-called moderate Muslims. The Caliph (Pope) of the Ottoman empire spelled out what has always been the irrefutable law for all Muslims without exception:

“The heart war.” – and that is the lowest form of the war. And it is that the Muslim should believe in his heart that the infidels are enemies to him and to his religion, and that he should desire their disappearance and the destruction of their power, And no Muslim can be imagined who is not under obligation to this degree of war. Verily, all the people of the faith are under obligation to this amount without any question whatever, in whatever place they may be . . . .”

Prediction

Permit me to make a grim prediction: Any country that continues to provide religion status to Islam believing that moderate Muslims will save the day has been “sucker punched” and is guaranteed to suffer great havoc and disruptive chaos. The proof is undeniable, look at the mayhem Islam has inflicted upon all western democracies over the past 20 years. The self destructive formula is simple: provide religion status to the sham of moderate Islam and your country will suffer great devastation.

Never before in human history has a nation’s leadership and intelligence community been so easily duped, confounded, played for fools, infiltrated and manipulated by enemy propagandists and apologists. Our leadership has become so pusillanimous in the face of Islamic bullying and brow beating, they have become their lackeys, aiding and abetting the invasion of the very nation they are suppose to protect. The situation is critical. The demoting of Islam’s religion status will turn the tide and send a clear-cut message to Islam that the dust of Allah is no longer befogging our vision enabling them to conqueror us.

Martel Sobieskey has 36 years research experience in the field of religious conditioning and its relationship to warfare. He is greatly alarmed that American politicians, military commanders, educators, journalists, intelligence analysts, security and police personnel have failed to comprehend the deeply entrenched jihadist conditioning inherent in all of Islam – moderates included.

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A question for Tony Blair: Is the Middle East Ready for Democracy?

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Comment at end

23rd March, 2009

The article below Is the “Middle East Ready for Democracy” is definitely worth a read. It warns against engaging with Hamas, Hizbullah and the Muslim Brotherhood.

If the answer is “no, the Middle East is NOT ready for democracy”, when are you packing your bags and coming back to Britain, Mr Blair?

We need someone with political nous to make sure we KEEP our democracy, such as it is. Gordon’s too busy being the Chancellor of the EU … er … World. He hasn’t actually noticed he’s losing it. Democracy, that is.

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(Middle East Analysis presents a spectrum of views about Middle East political affairs. Opinions expressed in individual posts do not necessarily represent those of the group or of any other editor.)

See also  Unpleasant Truths about Peace Process and Iran Targets the US

Is the Middle East Ready for Democracy?

It seems to me that there is some confusion here between promoting democracy, which is a good thing, and promoting anti-democratic extremists. Agreed that open elections are probably a really bad idea in Egypt at the moment and in some other places such as Syria. If they held elections in medieval France, they would’ve voted to murder the Jews and burn the Witches. But the real question is whether or not the US should pursue policies that help make the countries of the Middle East ready for democracy.   Rubin asks:

But why should the United States pursue a policy that we have every reason to believe will be catastrophic: namely, pushing for a situation in which radical Islamists are more likely to take over.

The US should not push for such a policy. But US failure to pressure the Shah to institute reforms resulted in disaster in Iran, and US failure to insist on transparency and good government in the Fatah resulted in another failure and helped bring the Hamas to power. Since they took over the government by force, it is probable they would have done so eventually even without the ill-fated elections. Talking to Hamas and Hezbollah will not promote democracy or help the people of the Middle East, but not requiring minmal democratic reforms in places like Egypt and Afghanistan is helping to bring extremists to power. The latter policies result from too much “realism:” :” We can work with this guy. He is our SOB.”

Ami Isseroff

Middle East still not ready for democracy

By Barry Rubin

Democracy is a great idea; open elections are ideally the best way to choose governments; dialogue with everyone is wonderful in theory. But in the Middle East, unfortunately, as a policy this would be a disaster.

It is not Western policy but local conditions which are going to determine whether there will be democracy in the Arabic-speaking world. In my book, The Long War for Freedom: The Arab Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East (Wiley), I analyze both the debate and the existing groups. The assessment must be pessimistic.

Would we like to see liberal democracy and moderation prevail with rising living standards and more freedom? Of course, but the real question is what effect certain policies would have.

The Western debate gets stranger and stranger. Among the policymaking classes, there’s a prevailing view that the Bush administration was a disaster. The rather misleading description for those who advocated a US policy of promoting democracy and overthrowing dictators — “neo-conservative” — has become among such people a curse word implying stupid and evil.

Why, then, does the debate seem to be between those who now run most Western governments and want to engage with the worst, most dangerous extremists and those who want to promote democracy by opening up the political process to the… worst, most dangerous extremists?

WHATEVER BECAME of good old-fashioned realism, the breakfast of champions in diplomacy for centuries? Realism, a term that has been hijacked lately far more than Islam, means to base a policy on the actually existing situation rather than one’s wish-list, building alliances on the basis of common interests. It does not mean embracing your worst enemies while kicking those with common interests in the groin. Nor does it mean acting like the nerdy kid groveling in the hope that it will make the popular guys like him. And it also doesn’t mean ignoring adversaries’ ideologies and goals.

Is it really so hard to understand that US policy should be based on working closely with Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Iraq, Lebanon (moderates, not Iranian-Syrian agents), Saudi Arabia and the smaller Gulf emirates? Is it really so hard to understand that US policy should also be based on combating Iran, Syria, Sudan, Hizbullah, Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhoods, as well as al-Qaida?

We saw what happened in Iran after experts predicted in 1978 that anything would be better than the shah and that moderates would inevitably prevail.

We saw what happened with the Palestinian elections, for while Fatah was no prize, Hamas is far worse and eager for bloodshed. We are about to see what will happen with Lebanese elections which are nominally democratic but influenced by Iranian-Syrian money and intimidation, as a government emerges likely to lead Lebanon into the Iranian bloc.

In Turkey, the several-times-elected AK regime, although still presented internationally as a model moderate Muslim government, is engaged in systematically Islamizing institutions and taking the country down a road leading closer to Teheran than to Washington.

I DO NOT LIKE saying this because I know many courageous liberal dissidents and would like them to win. US and Western policy should always press for their rights, against their imprisonment.

But why should the United States pursue a policy that we have every reason to believe will be catastrophic: namely, pushing for a situation in which radical Islamists are more likely to take over.

Examples have been given of people who might be expected to be liberal preferring to back Islamist parties. But Egypt is virtually the only place this seems to be happening. Elsewhere, people who might be expected to be liberal are supporting the existing regimes out of fear of Islamists. I think that Egypt is a misleading case for that reason. And in Egypt, the leading “liberal” group has now been taken over by the Muslim Brotherhood and spouts a very radical anti-American line.

Do we really want to contribute to subverting the Egyptian regime, with all its faults, and making the Brotherhood more powerful? The reaction is arrogance on the part of the radicals and despair among the moderates. The liberals conclude, you hear this all the time in Turkey, that America wants the Islamists to win.

I don’t prefer this situation. I don’t like it. But in a world where Islamists seek to overthrow nationalists, in which an Iranian-Syrian led alliance is trying to gain hegemony in much of the region, I feel that Western policy needs to back the regimes against the revolutionaries.

There are some ethnic or religious communities which have an interest in supporting a moderate democratic approach. At present, this includes Iraqi Kurds and Shi’ites; Lebanese Sunni Arabs, Christians and Druse; and the Berbers of the Maghreb. These are, however, special cases.

There are also very systematic campaigns to fool well-intentioned, gullible Westerners. These are often carried out by having moderate statements in English directed to a foreign audience and revolutionary extremist ones in Arabic directed at one’s own society. The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood has created a very nicely done English-language Web site that would make it seem the organization is something between the Democratic Party and the March of Dimes.

If the West engages with Hamas, Hizbullah and the Muslim Brotherhoods, while working to create a situation in which these groups can compete for power more effectively, the results will be disastrous both for the West and for the Arabs who become victims of the resulting Islamist regimes. No argument, no matter how sincerely heartfelt or superficially clever, alters that fact. That is a tragedy, but in policy terms it is also a necessity to deal with the reality of Middle East polities and societies.

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Blair in Philippines. First the Good News …

Tony Blair with President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines

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• President of De La Salle University-Manila (DLSU), a co-presenter of the event says, “Not all leaders are good negotiators. They chose Blair to speak at the leadership series because he is “globally considered a principled peace negotiator.”

Comment at end

23rd March, 2009

FIRST THE GOOD NEWS

Tony Blair was clearly very much appreciated as guest speaker at Ateneo de Manila University. With tales not unfamiliar to us Brits he had his student audience rolling in the aisles.  It’s the way he tells ‘em.

But his diplomatic abilities meant that he refused outright to enter into the debate on birth control presently raging amongst Catholics in the Philippines. And on Iraq, “I took the view that the world, the region, the Middle East would be better off without Saddam Hussein. I think in those decisions particularly you’ve got to do what you really feel inside yourself is right and I think whatever disagreement people have at least if they think you are taking it because you’re genuinely trying to do the right thing …”

Thanks to “awestruck” Ivan Heneras for the below. His site includes videos

It’s Ateneo’s 150th year! So the University invited former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to speak at the Sesquicentennial Leadership Forum held today at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater at the Ateneo de Manila University. It was an invitational forum and I was lucky to get invited being Secretary of the Ateneo Alumni Association this year.

All I can say is that I am still awestruck after listening to Blair speak. He is such a great speaker! The title of his speech was “The Leader as a Nation-Builder in a Time of Globalization” where he talked about his experiences and how in today’s world, no nation is powerful enough to move forward on its own. All our problems, from the fight against terror to global warming, all need a concerted effort and meaningful cooperation among nations if we are to succeed.

He had a great sense of humor and got us laughing a good number of times. And he was game enough to take off his coat to wear an Ateneo sports jacket! I’ll try to get a copy of his speech.

It’s worth people noting that Tony Blair is reaching out to today’s young people of all religions and presumably none. These are the commenters’ blogs at the above blogger’s page (thank to Ivan Henares for the info and pictures).

(This site and this one and this and this and this all belong to young people, students presumably.)

NOW THE BAD NEWS

DESPITE GETTING THROUGH TO MANY OF THE YOUNGSTERS, MR BLAIR …

YOU NOW NEED TO WAKE UP  – TO THE REST OF US

TODAY’S YOUTH is clearly a large part of the constituency Tony Blair has to reach if he wants to retain his position as an effective world statesman in these troubling times.  But there are plenty of others whose student days are well behind, and whose life experience is inarguably wider.  Those of us who, like Mr Blair himself, are past the first flush of youth. Many of us have different points of reference as regards religion, democracy, conflict, history and culture … even war and the avoidance of war.

The jury’s still out on Mr Blair’s words, “it is a battle about Islam”.

Is the ‘Leader as Principled Negotiator’ facing ALL the facts?

Or is he still handling a fluid situation and bending over backwards to those for whom anything given is abused and seen as weakness?

STILL, the “battle about Islam” STATEMENT IS A NEW ONE ON ME FROM TONY BLAIR!

AND I WATCH HIM CLOSELY

Is it a new beginning?  A marker? Is it a public recognition of something he MUST have known for some time – years in fact? Something as Prime Minister of a multicultural society, he found unutterable? Previous references have only been to the “fundamentalists who pervert the true faith of Islam”, a phrase again used in his speech, so at face value this phrase on “Islam” has far wider implications.

It’s not that easy to deconstruct this diplomatic politician’s thoughts and words.

Were earlier references to the “perversion of the true faith of Islam” his genuine beliefs or a hint to Islam to get its house in order? If so, they have been to little avail. Islam by its own edicts is open to personal interpretation by each and every Muslim.  NO-one has the authority to lay down ‘rules’ and codes of behaviour for today’s Islam, or the authority to punish, disown, banish, exclude those who break them.

And worldwide terror attacks are continuously perpetrated by those citing Islam, the Koran, Mohammed and Allah as their inspiration.

It’s always intrigued me how a leaderless “democratic” grass-roots faith seems by its actions and the pronouncements of its self-proclaimed most fundamentalist adherents to be set on worldwide political/religious domination. A domination which intends to destroy man-made secular democracy as the west knows it, separated from religion.

IS BLAIR CHANGING AS SITUATIONS CHANGE?

If so, what took him so long? No-one wants an inter-religious war. No-one. No-one can win such a war as its boundaries would not be geographic. But neither should we be intimidated from recognising the problem. And the problem is Islam, good OR bad, good AND bad.

I am hopeful that this may be at least a recognition that we can’t go on as we are. But I am also concerned that it is no more than a sop to those of us who DO see an issue which requires leadership. Will he really step up to the mark?

Meanwhile in Brown’s Britain (oh how drearily that falls off the tongue) we ban an EU MP for trying to give his opinion on Islam. We allow obnoxious individuals to insult and attack our country and its values.  And we pretend that everything is all right … if only some day, somewhere over the rainbow, the “good guys” will put the “bad guys ” back in their box.

So the bad news is that there are many people who wonder if you have been asleep for the last several years, Mr Blair.  AND if you really are about to put the LEADERSHIP about which you spoke in Manila, into action. We need no more tactical strategy forging.

For me, it’s at least a start if he is finally laying the responsibility for the “perversion of the true faith of Islam” at Islam’s door, where it belongs.

I have to say I can only hope this is an about-turn on the part of Mr Blair. If it was a slip of the tongue, something he is not known for, I may soon be off to do something more productive with my time.

So what’s next for the hero of the FREE World? Agreeing with the Vatican that the Archbishop of Canterbury was mistaken (as I reported here) on Sharia Law in Britain? Or does he still think it was all just “a fuss about nothing“?

Here follows a reminder of some of the voices raised in confused irritation about the whole business of recognising where responsiblity lies for Islamist atrocities and intentions, inspired by Mr Blair’s words on the battle about Islam.

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A NUMBER OF SITES, ANTI-JIHAD, ANTI-ISLAMIST FUNDAMENTALISM, HAVE SPRUNG UP IN RECENT MONTHS. THEY SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED.  THE “ONE LAW FOR ALL” CAMPAIGN AGAINST SHARIA LAW IN BRITAIN TOO IS VERY MIXED IN POLITICAL OUTLOOK.  THEY TOO SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED.

For instance, this Islamist watching site – JIHAD WATCH -  has had plenty of responses following Robert Spencer article titled (from Blair’s words) -”There is essentially one battle going on, and it is a battle about Islam”

There has been a breakout of almost civil war there following Mr Blair’s remarks, between atheist and Christians, between Blair haters and those who question his sanity, and between those who think he is playing both sides against the centre, or even looking after his own personal interests. So the enigmatic former PM has thrown the proverbial into Jihad Watch. But it is clearly a site frequented by many knowledgeable commenters, some of whom provide interesting facts that Mr Blair MUST have read before.

Jihad Watch’s Robert Spencer says -

“There is essentially one battle going on, and it is a battle about Islam”

So says former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. And he makes it all very simple and Manichaean: there are “two elements in Islam: one wanted to work with the West; the other did not.” We just have to work with the one that wants to work with the West.

Of course! Why didn’t anyone think of that before?

Anything in his talk about why the “extremists” are so popular, or is that assumed to be a simple matter of policy and reaction to Western foreign policy? Did Blair even get close to mentioning the fact that there is a traditional, deeply rooted idea in Islamic texts and teachings, that Muslims must wage war against and subjugate unbelievers — regardless of what those unbelievers have done or not done? I am sure that he didn’t, despite its relevance to his point.

But until analysts grapple with that fact, nothing is more certain than that the global jihad will continue, no matter which smiling moderate is feted in Western capitals today.

“Battle on Islam heart of Mideast crisis—Blair,” by John Nery for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 23 (thanks to Wilkie):

One commenter at Jihad Watch offers this opinion and information:

Blair is definitely confused. Sure, lots of Muslims would like to “work with” the West. The issue is what they want, and it is clear from polls that most Muslims want the economic and technological advantages that may come from dealing with the West, but most of them don’t want to be influenced by Western values, and most of them want strict sharia.

Note, from the figures cited below, that across those four major Muslim countries, an overall simple average of only 9% of people “disagree strongly” with the goal to require a strict application of sharia law. Some of this 9% is probably composed of non-Muslims (especially in the Indonesian sample; see D4). If we take a moderate Muslim to be someone who disagrees strongly with sharia law, then, overall, less than about 9% of Muslims fit that category. The figures below regarding attitudes toward Western values also put into perspective Blair’s statements about “two elements” in Islam. Obviously, the “element” or subset of Muslims that is positive in its attitudes toward Western values is very small (see section “f” below).

Excerpts from World Public Opinion Poll 2007

Q27-F28: What do you personally feel about these goals? For each goal, please say whether you agree with it strongly, agree somewhat, disagree somewhat, or disagree strongly.

a. To require a strict application of Shari’a law in every Islamic country.
………………………………………… Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan
Agree strongly…………………….. 50%, 17%, 35%, 52%
Agree somewhat……………………24, 36, 41, 21
Disagree somewhat………………..11, 25, 10, 6
Disagree strongly………………….. 11, 15, 9, 1
Refused/Don’t Know…………….. 4, 7, 6, 19

f. To keep Western values out of Islamic countries.
………………………………………..Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan
Agree strongly…………………….80%, 40%, 33%, 42%
Agree somewhat………………….11, 38, 31, 23
Disagree somewhat……………… 3, 9, 13, 7
Disagree strongly………………… 1, 4, 8, 2
Refused/Don’t Know……………. 5, 10, 16, 25

D4. What religion do you follow?
………………………………………….Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan
Muslim………………………………….93%, 87%, 100%, 98%
Christian…………………………………7, 7, *, *
Jewish…………………………………..na, 0, *, 0
Other…………………………………….na, 5, na, 2
Refused/Don’t Know………………na, 1, na, *

Source:
http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/pdf/apr07/…

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Related stories

• Blair: ‘Politics should be about public service’
• Philippines seek Blair’s help in Muslim insurgency
• But he is not going to become a Special Adviser to the Filipino Government: In a speech at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza on “The Leader as Principled Negotiator,” Blair told his audience that “you don’t always succeed in bringing peace,” and both sides must be prepared to make compromises. “What is forgivable is to fail. What is unforgivable is not to try,” he said. “What you must never do is give up… never let people think that your determination to bring peace is less than the determination of those who want to continue the conflict.” Video here.
• Washington Post Guest Article, On Faith -Tony Blair – “Our World, God’s Neighborhood”
• EU, Blair no guarantee of talks resumption – MILF
• Moro rebellion tops Arroyo-Blair meet
• UK’s former Prime Minister Tony Blair arrives in RP

Quote from Blair in the Philippines:

In a speech at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza on “The Leader as Principled Negotiator,” Blair told his audience that “you don’t always succeed in bringing peace,” and both sides must be prepared to make compromises.

“What is forgiveable is to fail. What is unforgivable is not to try,” he said. “What you must never do is give up… never let people think that your determination to bring peace is less than the determination of those who want to continue the conflict.”

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Blair, Philippines – the ‘battle about Islam’ uppermost for peace

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Comment at end

23rd March, 2009

“There is essentially one battle going on, and it is a battle about Islam.” Referring to the moderates doing battle with extremists, Tony Blair said: “We gotta make sure those guys win.”

BLAIR ON ISLAM

In the Philippines today, in answer to an audience question, perhaps for the first time Tony Blair has told it like it really is on the question of peace in the Middle East and Islam.

Tony Blair speaks at the 4th Ateneo of Manila University MVP Center on Leadership. Credit to http://manila-photos.blogspot.com/ for the great picture. (Apologies for the earlier oversight.)

His line has long been  – “sort out the Palestine/Israel problem and you sort out the problems with fundamentalist Islam.”

Some of us have always seen it as the other way around.

Now, today, he seems to be conceding this.

Article from here:

MANILA, Philippines – Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in Manila for a series of leadership conferences, used an open forum at the Ateneo de Manila University to make what he called “a larger point” about the turmoil in the Middle East.

“There is essentially one battle going on, and it is a battle about Islam.”

Blair, on retiring as prime minister in 2007, immediately accepted an appointment as special envoy of the so-called Quartet in the Middle East: the United Nations, the European Union, the United States, and Russia.

He told a sympathetic audience that the “larger point” was the right framework with which to understand the pivotal, conflict-ridden region.

Blair said there were two elements in Islam: one wanted to work with the West; the other did not.

The right approach to peace and development in the Middle East, then, would be to “partner with the modernizing and moderate element,” he said.

He made his remarks in answer to a question about how he made major decisions, such as joining the US-led Coalition of the Willing in invading Iraq.

He answered the Iraq question first, and then broadened his view to include the titanic struggle for the future of Islam.

Referring to the moderates doing battle with extremists, he said: “We gotta make sure those guys win.”

UPDATE TO THIS, 31st March

The writer of the article above has noticed that he had a bit of a scoop on his hands, even if he hadn’t quite realised it at the start. Referring to his own article at Global Nation Inquirer he notes via his blog here that SOME of us too have noticed Blair’s words from this Philippines interview.

Those of us who have studied Mr Blair know that he says nothing without thinking, whether we agree with his thoughts or not.  A “Bushism” and Blairism are not in any way comparable.

That was the reason this phrase struck me so forcibly.

No longer the “corrupting of the true faith of Islam” description of the issues surrounding Islamic terrorism, it still surprises me somewhat that none of the British national heavies have yet run with this story. Perhaps it will have to be repeated a few times for them to notice. Once the press repeats things a few times regurgitation is the name of the game.

I have not seen a full unedited transcript of the speech and Q&A session. I ALWAYS prefer to read the unadultereated version in case of content misrepresentaion. But there is more of the interview at these sites:

Here and here and here and here and here.  This site has several photographs of the event, but draws no attention to Tony Blair’s remark that raised so much interest among the between-the-line readers.

Perhaps some of us are clutching at straws here in our quest for leadership on this issue. On the other hand Mr Blair was and still is ever the realist, when push comes to shove.

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Pajamas TV OUTS the Sharia/Islam Project: Frank Gaffney video

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• All Contents of site – Index
  
• History of ‘Pajamas Media’ (wikipedia)
  
• ‘Pajamas Media’ website AND here PJTV.com
• The Charter of Hamas
• Frank Gaffney’s “Center for Security Policy”

Comment at end

22nd March, 2009

Creeping Sharia and the Islamisation of the western world

Sharia & Jihad Review, main page with links

Since 9th March PJTV (Pajamas) has been running a series of interviews with those who have something to say in defence of western freedom. You may not have noticed. Of course you are NEVER likely to see anything like this on any British channels, Channel 4 Dispatches type programmes aside.

Creeping Sharia and the Islamisation of the western world

Well, here are some of the interviews. The participants are well known to those of us who spend time on the internet Watching Sharia, Watching Us.

They won’t be so familiar to the ordinary man/woman in the street. Perhaps it’s time they became household names

FRANK GAFFNEY INTERVIEW, March 20th, 2009 -

Begins with news item, titled – “Lebanese President Supports Hezbollah, Self- Immolation & Frank Gaffney on Obama’s Mid-East Policies”|17min

Discusses: Anjem Choudary – telling his suuporters to hide their raising funds for Holy Warriors in the Middle east. Appeasing, says Gaffney…  a parallel society being insinuated into Britain, as  a result of policy over several years … incremental and seemingly minor a separete parallel society. Muslim Brotherhood -

As for the USA government: Gaffney referred to something called “The Eternal Strategy Memorandum”, which listed so-called friendly Islamic organisation. All FRONTS with Saudi money, predominately, gone into building up the infrastructure for the purpose of building for jihad – violent or stealthy. The end purpose is the same – to bring about a global theocracy under which Islam will rule the entire world.  Gaffney suggests that Obama is engaged in a “wrecking operation” … throwing in towel in Iraq. Also seemingly signalling bailing out of Afghanistan too. He is “embracing every bad actor” on the planet … the makings of a rout of the USA.

Gaffney criticises the $900m being given to the Palestinian authority … Insane! Being given to an entity which is corrupt, and set on destroying Israel. “Naive insidious malfeasance.”

America too is under the influence of Creeping Sharia, Gaffney says, as already in Britain.

MAKES YOU PROUD TO BE BRITISH, DOESN’T IT?

What I found particularly interesting with THIS interview of Frank Gaffney is how he picks out Britain, the British government and Anjem Choudary as deserving of our attention and of that of all of the  west.

Be under no illusions … Britain, the British Government and Choudary are all emblematic of this issue. The issue is at least AS important as climate change, the economy or being nice your enemies in the good old tried-and-trusted western liberal way. Perhaps it is THE BIG issue facing western civilisation and thus the whole world.

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The front page of the Sharia & Jihad Show has this information with links. Please visit here to access. Most of it is free.

The Pajamas TV show Sharia & Jihad covers the impact of political and militant Islam around the world.

Announcing – DAILY SHARIA AND JIHAD SHOW !!

Starting the week of March 9, PJTV will be airing a daily show on Sharia and Jihad hosted by Reut Cohen. Our line-up of guests will include:

* Frank Gaffney (Center for Security Policy)
* Walid Phares (Foundation for Defense of Democracies)
* Walid Shoebat (Ex Palestinian Terrorist)
* Robert Spencer (Jihad Watch)
* Brigitte Gabrielle (ACT for America)
* Ibn Warraq
* … and many more

Conference Sessions:

*
The Collapse of Europe, The Rise of Islam, and the Consequences for the United States – was a June 2007 conference organized by the American Freedom Alliance. Keynotes by Mark Steyn and Ayaan Hirsi Ali

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PJTV – Hamas Charter

Bill Whittle, PJTV Commentator interviews Pajamas Media CEO Roger L Simon

Whittle says, “Some of the lines in this Charter are genocidal”. Then each of these sections are discussed, ending with a call to Hamas to revise these charter points:

“Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.” (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory).

“The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. “

“There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors.”

“After Palestine, the Zionists aspire to expand from the Nile to the Euphrates. When they will have digested the region they overtook, they will aspire to further expansion, and so on. Their plan is embodied in the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion”, and their present conduct is the best proof of what we are saying.”

Read present Hamas Charter here

Unless revised the above doesn’t give you much hope for President Obama’s (or Tony Blair’s) peace endeavours, does it?

INTERESTED YET?

Might I suggest it’s time you SHOULD be?

On the other hand, the Turkish Weekly says that Gaffney is playing to the Right in the USA. This article insists that Turkey has NO caliphate ambitions whatsoever and is a moderate Muslim state. Since Turkey is still working to become part of the EU, we need to hear ALL opinions with evidence, don’t you think, folks?

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Jade Goody Dies on Mother’s Day

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Comment at end

22nd March, 2009

JADE GOODY LOSES HER BATTLE WITH CANCER ON MOTHER’S DAY

As Mother’s Day dawned in Britain, two little boys were left with no Mummy to hug and kiss.

At 27, it’s far too young to die.

My heart goes out to her whole family.

RIP

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BBC report (including video of her short life)

Reality TV star Jade Goody has died at the age of 27.

She died at home with her family in Upshire, Essex, in the early hours of Sunday after a high-profile battle with cervical cancer.

Her mother Jackiey Budden, who was at her side as she died, said: “My beautiful daughter is at peace.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was “deeply saddened” by the news and described Goody as “a courageous woman both in life and death”.

“The whole country has admired her determination to provide a bright future for her children.

“She will be remembered fondly by all who knew her and her family can be extremely proud of the work she has done to raise awareness of cervical cancer, which will benefit thousands of women across the UK.”

Goody shot to fame after being a contestant in the third series of Big Brother in 2002 and was taking part in a version of the show in India last year when she was told of her illness.

The disease spread to her liver, groin and bowel and she was told it was terminal in February.

The star had been treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital in west London but wanted “to spend all the time she had got left” with new husband Jack Tweed and sons, Bobby, five, and Freddy, four.

Goody died at home at 0314 GMT on Mother’s Day. Her body was taken out of her home shortly before 0800 GMT.

Speaking outside the home, Ms Budden said: “Family and friends would like privacy at last.”

Mourners started arriving at the house to pay tribute to Goody within minutes of the news breaking.

Jackie Marron, who was among those leaving floral tributes at the gates, described Goody’s work to highlight the risks of cancer as an “inspiration”.

“The way she’s done her things is absolutely fantastic… her courage, her guts,” she added.

Kim Luther, who sold Goody her home, remembered her fondly as “the girl next door, the normal girl”.

Laying a bunch of flowers, she said: “She’s our our Essex princess. And she will be remembered like that. She’s shown awareness. She’s shown that you know it can happen to absolutely anyone, this awful illness. “

The star had been christened in a 20-minute ceremony at the Royal Marsden on 7 March while in a wheelchair and was assisted by nurses during the service.

Media interest

Goody’s illness had featured in the media on a daily basis over recent weeks.

She married partner Jack Tweed on 21 February at Down Hall Country House Hotel in Essex. OK! magazine paid a reported £700,000 to cover the event.

Goody stipulated that the entire amount should be passed on to her sons.

The wedding was also filmed as part of a documentary series following the star and was screened on digital channel Living.

Goody, originally a dental nurse from Bermondsey, south London, was initially famous for showing poor general knowledge on Big Brother. She was later accused of being racist towards Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty during a celebrity version of the show.

However, public opinion softened when the star became ill.

In a statement from Mumbai, Shetty said: “I am deeply saddened but I am glad Jade is out of pain and that she died peacefully with her family around her.”

Goody was open about wanting to exploit media interest in her battle with cancer to raise public awareness of the disease and prevent other women from suffering her fate.

Her publicist Max Clifford said: “I think she’s going to be remembered as a young girl who has, and who will, save an awful lot of lives.

“She was a very, very brave girl and she faced her death in the way she faced her whole life – full on, with a lot of courage.”

Cancer Research UK chief executive Harpal Kumar said: “Her brave battle with an aggressive form of cervical cancer has received widespread public attention and encouraged thousands of women to seek advice on how to prevent the disease.

“She has done a great public service by raising awareness of the importance of screening during her last few months of life.”

‘Celebration of life’

Phil Gould, associate editor of OK magazine, said: “Most women that I know who are in their 20s have now gone for smear tests or are trying to get smear tests because of what’s happened to Jade.”

Even in death the cameras will remain firmly fixed on Goody as preparations are made for her funeral.

“She wants it to be a big celebration because it’s her final farewell to everybody,” Mr Clifford said.

Describing the funeral as a “Jade Goody Production”, he said the funeral cortege would process through Loughton – near her home in Upshire, Essex – after church service. No date for the service has yet been set.

Mr Clifford said Goody’s children had known their mother was seriously ill.

“She sat down and explained that Mummy was going to heaven and that heaven is where people who are ill go to get better,” he said.

“She said when they look in the sky and see a star, that’s Mummy looking down.”

He added that he hoped Goody’s family would be left in peace to grieve.

TV presenter Jeff Brazier, the father of Goody’s two sons, said he was “devastated” at Jade’s death.

“I’m grateful the boys were able to say their goodbyes and spend that precious time with their wonderful mother,” he said.

“Bobby and Freddie are my absolute priority and I will be doing everything I can to be their rock and to give them all my love and support to get them through a confusing and upsetting time.”

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Other reports on Jade Goody’s death here:

Huffington Post

Jade Goody dies after cancer battle – Yahoo! News UK

Jade Goody has died in her sleep, her publicist Max Clifford said.

uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090322/tuk-jade-goody-dies-after-cancer-battle-6323e80.html – Similar pages

Jade Goody dies – Yahoo! News UK

Jade Goody died in her sleep today, her publicist Max Clifford said.

uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090322/tuk-jade-goody-dies-dba1618.html – Similar pages

Jade Goody Dies – Sky Showbiz

Jade Goody has lost her battle with cancer. The 27 year-old reality star died at
3:55am today at her home in Essex.

showbiz.sky.com/jade-dies-of-cancer – Similar pages

Reality TV star Jade Goody dies in her sleep | News.com.au Top …

CONTROVERSIAL British reality TV star Jade Goody has died after a year-long
battle with cervical cancer.

www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,25224740-2,00.html?from=public_rss – Similar pages

Articles | Jade Goody dies – ITV News

22 Mar 2009 … The official ITV home of Jade Goody dies on ITV Articles at ITV News. Visit itv.
com for News.

www.itv.com/News/Articles/Jade-Goody-dies-859338058.html – Similar pages

timesofmalta.com – UK star Jade Goody dies

22 Mar 2009 … UK star Jade Goody dies. Big Brother star Jady Goody has died of cervical cancer
after a battle which captivated the world. She was 27. …

www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090322/local/uk-star-jade-goody-dies – Similar pages

Jade Goody dies in her sleep : thewest.com.au

22 Mar 2009 … The West Australian Newspaper site covers news, weather, astrology, employment,
tenders, real estate, cars, boats, shopping, and sport, …

www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuId=5&ContentID=131656 – Similar pages

Reuters AlertNet – British reality TV star Jade Goody dies of cancer

22 Mar 2009 … AlertNet provides news, information and analysis for everyone interested in
emergency relief. AlertNet is run by Reuters Foundation.

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