This is no surprise, because the “elect me and the world will love us” rhetoric from 2008 was an illusion from the start, but some may be surprised to learn that not only is US popularity in most Arab countries plummeting, but it’s actually falling lower than when Bush was president:

With the 2008 election of Barack Obama, favorable attitudes toward the U.S. more than doubled in many Arab countries. But in the two years since his famous “Cairo speech,” ratings for both the U.S. and the President have spiraled downwards. The President is seen overwhelmingly as failing to meet the expectations set during his speech, and the vast majority of those surveyed disagree with U.S policies.
[...]
After improving with the election of Barack Obama in 2008, U.S. favorable ratings across the Arab world have plummeted. In most countries they are lower than at the end of the Bush Administration, and lower than Iran’s favorable ratings (except in Saudi Arabia).

Soon to be spotted somewhere in the Middle East:

The poll also found that the killing of Osama bin Laden drove down US favorability in much of the Middle East, so next time it might be wise for certain voters to ask what kind of countries their candidate has made it a goal to befriend before assuming it’s a good thing for America.

(h/t Newsmax)

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe

Hillary Clinton’s State Department is getting tough on Iran, as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip Crowley demonstrates:

If that doesn’t convince Mahmoud, the State Department’s Teddy-Gram with the “Bear-hugs for you if you start being nicer” note should do the trick.

This is being reported as a “tongue-in-cheek” comment, but Sarah Palin thinks the US State Department needs to keep America’s tongue out of Ahmadinejad’s cheek:

Maybe the State Department should try something similar in order to bring terrorists & rogue dictators to their knees:

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe

Via Mediaite and RCP, the U.S. delegation walked out on Ahmadinejad’s address to the U.N. Assembly in New York this afternoon after he pushed the 9/11 Truther button:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke to the United Nations General Assembly this afternoon, sharing some rather provocative rhetoric over the United States worst terrorist attack in history. Ahmadinejad suggested to the assembled diplomats, ambassadors and world leaders that the events that occurred on 9/11 were actually orchestrated by the U.S. Government.. This prompted the U.S. delegation to abruptly leave the assembly hall while many other national delegates followed suit.

Glad to know the Obama administration draws the line somewhere.

WWVJD: What would Van Jones do?

NEW YORK — Without fanfare, the United Nations this week elected Iran to its Commission on the Status of Women, handing a four-year seat on the influential human rights body to a theocratic state in which stoning is enshrined in law and lashings are required for women judged “immodest.”

Just days after Iran abandoned a high-profile bid for a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council, it began a covert campaign to claim a seat on the Commission on the Status of Women, which is “dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women,” according to its website.

They left out that women’s cleavage causes earthquakes, and women are arrested and who knows what else for the crime of being suntanned.

Iranian activists circulated and submitted a petition asking that member states oppose Iran’s appointment, but that piece of paper was apparently tossed on the UN’s pile of unpaid parking tickets and quickly forgotten.

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe

Authorities in Iran intensified their drive to snuff out the opposition movement overnight by arresting the relatives of prominent activists, including the sister of the Nobel laureate and human rights campaigner Shirin Ebadi.

The arrests came as the Iranian foreign ministry summoned the British ambassador in Tehran, Simon Gass, to complain that western countries, including Britain, had fomented renewed protests on Sunday that left at least eight people dead.

Ebadi – winner of the 2003 Nobel peace prize – said her sister, Dr Noushin Ebadi, a lecturer in medicine at Tehran Azad university, was arrested at her home last night by four intelligence agents. She was taken to an unknown location. Shirin Ebadi, who is currently in London, said the arrest was intended to pressure her into giving up her human rights work.

“During the past two months, [my sister] has been summoned by the intelligence ministry several times and ordered to persuade me to stop my human rights activities,” Ebadi said in a statement posted on the reformist website Rah-e Sabz. “She was also ordered to vacate her home, which adjoins my apartment. She was threatened that if she failed to comply with these two demands, she would be arrested.”

The arrest coincided with the detentions of relatives of other prominent figures, including Shapour Kazemi, brother-in-law of the reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Leila Tavassoli, niece of the former foreign minister Ebrahim Yazdi, who has also been detained. It was the second time Kazemi, the brother of Mousavi’s wife, Zahra Rahnavard, has been arrested since June’s disputed presidential election.

The latest detention came after Mousavi’s nephew, Ali Mousavi Khamane, was killed on Sunday in what his family allege was an assassination by security forces. At least 20 prominent figures, including journalists, have been arrested since Sunday’s clashes, which took place on the Shia holy day of Ashura.

The son of Iranian opposition figure Ebrahim Yazdi speaks out.

And the son of another leading opposition figure, Mahdi Karroubi, says his movements have been limited.

FrontPageMag: Iranians’ Cry for Freedom – by Lisa Daftari

Wishing you all a joy-filled Christmas!

“Gloria in excelsis Deo” – King’s College Choir:

Please keep our troops in your prayers. In Afghanistan, our soldiers are hard at work:

”This is my third Christmas away from family, the first two were in Iraq and then one here,” Sgt. David Nix, from Charlotte, North Carlina, said, adding that he misses waking up on Christmas morning with his wife and kids. ”It’s the only thing that goes through my mind … being around my family,” he said.

“A Soldier’s Christmas Poem,” written by LCDR Jeff Giles, CS, USN, stationed in Al Taqqadum Iraq:

A Christmas video from the soldiers of the Dragon Brigade:

Here’s a look at the plight of Christians in Iraq.

Pope Benedict XVI recovered from the bizarre attack yesterday well enough to deliver Christmas Day mass this morning.

Lombardi identified the woman who toppled Benedict as Susanna Maiolo, 25, a Swiss-Italian national with psychiatric problems. He said Maiolo, who was not armed, was taken to a clinic for necessary treatment.

She was the same woman involved in a similar incident at last year’s Midnight Mass, Vatican officials said. In that case, Maiolo jumped the barricade but never managed to reach the pope and was quietly tackled by security.

In both cases she wore a red sweat shirt.

During Thursday night’s service, Maiolo jumped the barricade and lunged for the pope as he processed down the aisle toward the altar. As security guards brought her down, she grabbed Benedict’s vestments and pulled him down with her, according to witness video obtained by The Associated Press.

After a few seconds on the floor, Benedict stood up with the help of attendants, put back on his miter and took hold of his staff, and continued to process down the aisle to the cheers of “Viva il Papa!” (“Long live the pope”). He continued to celebrate the Mass without incident.

It was the first time a potential attacker came into direct contact with Benedict during his nearly five-year papacy. Security analysts have frequently warned the pope is too exposed in his public appearances.

After getting up, Benedict, flanked by tense bodyguards, reached the basilica’s main altar to start the Mass. The pope, who broke his right wrist in a fall this summer, appeared unharmed but somewhat shaken and leaned heavily on aides and an armrest as he sat down in his chair.

Benedict made no reference to the disturbance after the service started or on Friday.

Here we go again.

The Iranian mullahcracy has reportedly attempted to choke off the Internet and reportedlysurrounded Tehran University to stifle anti-Ahmadenijad student protesters today:

The measures were aimed at depriving the opposition of its key means of mobilizing the masses as Iran’s clerical rulers keep a tight lid on dissent. Government opponents are seeking, nonetheless, to get large numbers of demonstrators to turn out Monday and show their movement still has momentum.

Why today? In brief:

Students Day observes the 1953 killing of three students by the shah’s forces, just months after popular Iranian premier Mohammad Mossadeq was toppled with US backing.

The event this year is expected to be used by supporters of Iranian opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi to stage demonstrations against Ahmadinejad.

Opposition groups reject Ahmadinejad’s re-election in the June 12 poll, saying it was massively rigged to ensure his return.

Iranian authorities have banned the foreign media from covering the expected protests on Monday and also reportedly cut Internet access in central Tehran.

Once again, Twitter is a vital means of Iranian protesters’ communications with each other and to the world. #iranelections is trending again.

Another key Twitter hashtag of the day: #16Azar. That’s the address of the entrance to Tehran University.

Here’s a link to four liveblogging protest sources.

A CNN staffer in Iran tweets about reports of a three-day ban on foreign journalists. And this:

CNN Sources 1030am Iran time: Heavy police presence in front of Tehran University. No sign of any demonstrations at this point #iranelection

Well, that would be because the protest organizers are spreading word on Twitter that the protests won’t kick off until 3pm Tehran time.

Waiting for screams of “backlash” in 3, 2, 1…

Federal prosecutors took steps Thursday to seize four U.S. mosques and a Fifth Avenue skyscraper owned by a nonprofit Muslim organization long suspected of being secretly controlled by the Iranian government.

In what could prove to be one of the biggest counterterrorism seizures in U.S. history, prosecutors filed a civil complaint in federal court against the Alavi Foundation, seeking the forfeiture of more than $500 million in assets.

The assets include bank accounts; Islamic centers consisting of schools and mosques in New York City, Maryland, California and Houston; more than 100 acres in Virginia; and a 36-story glass office tower in New York.

Confiscating the properties would be a sharp blow against Iran, which has been accused by the U.S. government of bankrolling terrorism and trying to build a nuclear bomb.

A telephone call and e-mail to Iran’s U.N. Mission seeking comment were not immediately answered. Nor was a call to the Alavi Foundation.

It is extremely rare for U.S. law enforcement authorities to seize a house of worship, a step fraught with questions about the First Amendment right to freedom of religion.

The action against the Shiite Muslim mosques is sure to inflame relations between the U.S. government and American Muslims, many of whom are fearful of a backlash after last week’s Fort Hood shooting rampage, blamed on a Muslim American major.

The NEFA Foundation has a trove of court documents related to the case, U.S. v. Assa Corporation (Ties to Bank Melli):

- Complaint (Added 12/21/08) In December 2008, the U.S. announced “the filing of a civil Complaint seeking forfeiture of the 40% interest in 650 Fifth Avenue Company (the owner of the 36-story office tower at 650 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York) which is held by Assa Corporation…The office tower at 650 Fifth Avenue (the ‘Building’) was constructed in the 1970′s by the Pahlavi Foundation, a non-profit organization operated by the Shah of Iran to pursue Iran’s charitable interests in the United States. The Building’s construction was financed by a substantial loan from Bank Melli Iran (‘Bank Melli’), a state-owned bank in Iran. The Pahlavi Foundation was later renamed the Mostazafan Foundation of New York, and later renamed the Alavi Foundation. In 1989 the Alavi Foundation formed 650 Fifth Avenue Company in partnership with Bank Melli. Bank Melli’s ownership interest was, however, disguised. Specifically, the Alavi Foundation transferred 35% of 650 Fifth Avenue Company to Assa Corporation, an entity wholly owned by Assa Company Limited; Assa Company Limited is a Jersey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom, entity, which was and has since been wholly owned by Iranian citizens who represent the interests of Bank Melli. In conjunction with the transfer of the 35% interest in 650 Fifth Avenue to Assa Corp., Bank Melli cancelled its loan on the Building. Today, the Alavi Foundation owns 60% of 650 Fifth Avenue Company, and Bank Melli owns 40% of 650 Fifth Avenue Company, through Assa Corporation and Assa Company Limited.”

- U.S. Attorney’s Office Press Release on Civil Complaint (Added 12/21/08) DOJ notes that “without an OFAC license to do so, Assa Corporation and Assa Company Limited continued to provide services to Bank Melli by maintaining Bank Melli’s interest in 650 Fifth Avenue Company and transferring income from 650 Fifth Avenue Company to Bank Melli. In 1999, OFAC identified Bank Melli, and all of its offices worldwide, as entities owned or controlled by the Government of Iran.”

- FBI Press Release on Civil Complaint (Added 12/21/08)

- Treasury Department Designation (Added 12/21/08) Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey commented, “This scheme to use a front company set up by Bank Melli — a known proliferator — to funnel money from the United States to Iran is yet another example of Iran’s duplicity.” Further, “Bank Melli provides financial services, including opening letters of credit and maintaining accounts, for Iranian front companies and entities engaged in proliferation activities. Further, Bank Melli has facilitated the purchase of sensitive materials utilized by Iran’s nuclear and missile industries, and has handled transactions for other designated Iranian entities, including Bank Sepah, Defense Industries Organization, and the Shahid Hammat Industrial Group.” And, “Bank Melli provides banking services to Iran’s military vanguard, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Qods Force…”

***

A tipster sends info on the Alavi Foundaton’s Koran giveaways to…prisons (flashback: the jihadi virus in our jails):

Arlene “Raheema” Pater-Rov wears the traditional hijab, a modesty scarf she wraps around her head to cover her hair, and a long-sleeved dark purple dress. The hijab is observed by many Muslim women and is the required dress code for walking through the Islamic Education Center of Maryland in Potomac. For this reason, Pater-Rov keeps spare scarves in the office for visitors.

Pater-Rov is the head of the IEC’s book distribution program, which sends free Qurans and other Islamic books to prisoners across the United States who request them, as well as to libraries and college students.

The purpose of the program is “to educate those that are in prison about Islamic knowledge,” Pater-Rov said.

According to Pater-Rov, many American inmates convert to Islam while in prison after learning about the religion from Muslim prison chaplains.
By one estimation, more than 30,000 U.S. prisoners convert to Islam each year, according to Ibrahim Abdurrahman Farajaje, a professor of Islamic studies at the Starr King School for the Ministry.

Although many of the prison converts are Sunnis, a branch of Islam, the EIC’s books are written by Shiites.

“But we try not to stress the differences,” Pater-Rov said.

Many of the requests come from Michigan because of its extensive Muslim population. Pater-Rov said Henry Ford brought hundreds of Arabs to Michigan in 1905 to work in his factories manufacturing cars, and this is the reason for its large Muslim community.

At the IEC, the book distribution program is run out of a small office within the building. Two bookcases line the walls, filled with English translations of the Quran, books about the prophet Mohammed and interpretations of different surahs, or chapters, of the Quran by learned scholars…

…THE BOOK distribution program began as Quranic Account, run by Dr. A.S. Hashemi, in 1981, the year the IEC was established. In 1987 the Quranic Account moved to another address.

“But the letters (requesting Qurans) were still coming to IEC,” said Pater-Rov.

In that same year, the IEC began its own distribution program, Pater-Rov said. During its time in the IEC building, the Quranic Account gave out about 1,000 Qurans a year. Now, the IEC’s book distribution program sends some 6,000 books a year, which includes Qurans and other Islamic books.

The book distribution program is funded by the New York-based Alavi Foundation, which was established in 1973 by the Shah of Iran, Pater-Rov said.

“So, actually all the Qurans are bought by the Shah’s money,” Pater-Rov said.

After the Shah was overthrown in 1979, the Shah’s assets were transferred to the new regime. As one of the former Shah’s assets, the foundation is still under the Iranian government’s control, but the money cannot be used outside the United States, Pater-Rov said.

“They control it from Iran, but they can’t use it in Iran,” said Pater-Rov. “They have to use it here.”

The “leaders” say this will not be talk for talk’s sake.

But the Obama administration says sanctions are not on the table.

Just really, really tough talk.

Iran gets taken to the woodshed. But there’s no paddle. Just chit-chat.

Michael Ledeen is right: “We’ve Been Talking to Iran for 30 Years.”

And yes, it’s comfy chair time again!

C.E.H. Weidel tweets: “This administration needs Super Nanny.”

Canada will boycott Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech at the United Nations on Wednesday, saying his outbursts about the Holocaust and Israel are “shameful.”

Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon will be at the world body to attend the opening of the UN General Assembly’s annual debate, but officials signal he and other members of the Canadian delegation will vacate the Canadian seats when the Islamic republic’s President approaches the podium.

Walking out of the chamber is seen as a strong diplomatic show of disgust at the UN — and since the chamber is generally packed on the first day of the annual summit, Canada’s empty seats will not go unnoticed.

One of the first speakers of the day will be U.S. President Barack Obama, who is making his debut address before the assembly.

“President Ahmadinejad’s repeated denial of the Holocaust and his anti-Israel comments run counter to the values of the UN General Assembly, and they’re shameful,” said one Canadian official.

“He uses his public appearances to provoke the international community, and that is why Canada’s seats will be empty.”

A Joe Wilson-style calling out would also be welcome.

Jim Hoft is. Here’s his latest round-up of developments today — with details and links on a reported new massacre at Baharestan Square in Tehran.

More from Ed Morrissey.

Twitter: #iranelection.

Liveblogging/Twitter aggregation at The Lede.

The question itself was unobjectionable and Obama’s response was so bland and rambling I don’t remember it.

But what was noteworthy was Obama’s embarrassingly obvious and patronizing coordination of the question. I have no love for the HuffPo people (and vice versa), but really, was such schoolmarm-ish hand-holding by the White House necessary?

Via the Politico:

In a clearly coordinated exchange, President Obama called on the Huffington Post’s Nico Pitney near the start of his press conference and requested a question directly from Iran.

“Nico, I know you and all across the Internet, we’ve been seeing a lot of reports coming out of Iran,” Obama said, addressing Pitney. “I know there may actually be questions from people in Iran who are communicating through the Internet. Do you have a question?”

Pitney, as if ignoring what Obama had just said, said: “I wanted to use this opportunity to ask you a question directly from an Iranian.”

He then noted that the site had solicited questions from people in the country “who were still courageous enough to be communicating online.”

“Under which conditions would you accept the election of Ahmadinejad, and if you do accept it without any significant changes in the conditions there, isn’t that a betrayal of the — of what the demonstrators there are working towards?”

Reporters typically don’t coordinate their questions for the president before press conferences.

Snort. Just wait until the ABC News health care infomercial tomorrow tonight…

***

Meanwhile, Obama snapped at a McClatchy reporter who had the audacity to ask him about his cigarette addiction in light of the recently passed FDA tobacco regs.

Obama sarcastically chastised the reporter for asking a “cute” question, then argued that the new regulations don’t apply to him, but to “future generations.”

In other words: Do as he says, not as he smokes.

Also targeted for Obama snappishness: Fox News reporter Major Garrett (for asking “What took you so long” on Iran) and Jake Tapper (for a non-respectful question on health care reform).

At around 12:30pm Eastern, Barack Obama will put down his ice cream cone and boldly condemn repression in Iran.

Why now?

Andrew Malcolm explains the timing:

You don’t need to be a basketball-loving president of the United States to know that if you’re trying to block opponents’ shots in your end, you sure aren’t increasing your own totals. You can’t score points on D.

So Obama’s news conference this morning Pacific time is his bid to steal the ball from his opponents and scoot down the court for his own layup. It’s a classic political reset of the play clock. At 9:30 a.m. Pacific (12:30 p.m. Eastern, 4:30 p.m. GMT), Obama will make a statement in the White House Rose Garden and then take questions.

Obama has lost some mojo in recent days on this month’s pressing issues, especially Iran’s ongoing protests and healthcare reform. Obama’s printed Saturday statement about Iran on his way out the White House door for ice cream with his daughters was insufficient media competition for the appallingly graphic video of the young woman Neda dying on a Tehran street. Some called the presidential statement ineffective and “mealy-mouthed.”

On Father’s Day, while the president played golf out of camera-sight, others were on TV declaring the U.S. must say more to support the unarmed protesters in Iran.

…Sen. John McCain’s angry Senate Neda speech Monday, also reported and analyzed here with a video, dramatically changed that equation, forcing Obama to talk today more powerfully about the power of talk.

It was just last month that Obama was forced to scramble in response to another Republican, Dick Cheney, to organize dueling speeches on homeland security.

Obama-come-lately strikes again.

“Leadership.”

***

But, of course, Obama’s Cairo speech inspired the freedom activists in Iran that he is only now speaking out for, you know.

***

Update: Obama’s press statement this afternoon was rather unemotional and obligatory-sounding. Included an odd set-up question with Huffington Post writer Nico Pitney, who has covered Iranian election extensively. Obama anticipated his question and basically telegraphed what Pitney would ask — a question solicited from Iranians communicating across the Internet.

Major Garrett at Fox News asks the obvious question: “What took you so long?”

Obama blathers.

Garrett asks if invitation to Iran to meet on July 4 is still on.

“That’s up to Iran.”

Translation: Invitation — and “path” to engagement — still open.

***

Question: Were you influenced by McCain/Graham speaking strongly on Iran?

Obama snarks: What do you think?

Reporters laugh.

Are you laughing?

***

Chuck Todd: What about consequences for Iranian repression?

O refers to Neda again: A young woman getting shot on the street as she’s getting out of her car is a “problem.”

Life magazine reports in a special online feature gallery of Iran protest photos:

A NOTE TO OUR READERS: We are saddened to report that the Iranian photojournalist, whose pictures appear in this gallery, is missing. He has not been in contact with us; this morning we received the following email from one of his relatives. We will update this space when we have more details.

THE EMAIL: Hi im [photographer’s relative], when he go outside yesterday for he never came back home and also his friend and a lot of our young brave people, government arrested them [. . .] don’t let them suffer in those bloody hands. With thanks.

See the whole photo gallery here.

Iranian blogger Madyar has a chilling still photo of the dying girl.

Steve Schippert pays tribute to the Voice of Iran.

The L.A. Times reports:

A copy of the video was also emailed to The Times. It seems to show a woman lying in the street with blood spurting from her chest. A man leans over, trying to stop the bleeding with his hands.

The footage, which can be viewed on YouTube, is extremely graphic. The identity of the woman could not be independently confirmed. But she is referred to on Twitter as Neda.

“#Neda: You are the VOICE of the people. You are a call to FREEDOM…..rip,” readd one of the many tweets about her apparent slaying.

CNN reports that pictures of the woman are appearing on posters in Tehran and she is being hailed as a martyr. The network broadcast an excerpt of the video with the face of the woman blurred out.

Iranian Americans also downloaded the video and used it to make posters, which were held up at a demonstration today outside the Federal Building in Westwood.

Her voice lives.

***

Via Patterico, compare and contrast:

A waffle cone would have been more appropriate.

***

Update: Allahpundit has the latest on Neda — her full name, new video apparently taken just before she was shot, and news of her funeral, which was canceled by the thug-ocracy.