Lebanon: From 'Switzerland of the Middle East' to Iran's Puppet

 Lebanon today bears little resemblance to the country it once was.

Before the 1975-1990 civil war, Lebanon was known as the "Switzerland of the Middle East." During the 1960s and 1970s, it enjoyed significant prosperity, strict banking secrecy laws, and a reputation as a safe, neutral financial hub for regional and international capital. Its banking sector was among the most sophisticated in the Arab world. It attracted foreign investment and established Beirut as one of the world's leading financial centers.

French journalist Julien Ricour-Brasseur wrote in Middle East Eye in 2021:

"Lebanese citizens unwilling to attempt the desperate crossing of the Mediterranean are flocking to public offices to obtain visas to any possible destination. They are looking to somewhere beyond the sea, where the glow of green is beckoning, the green light of hope - and the dollar....

"The story of Lebanon could open like this: Once upon a time, there was a nation known as the Switzerland of the Middle East. And frankly, the story ends there."

Lebanon was also distinguished by its sectarian diversity and religious pluralism, a place where multiple Muslim and Christian communities coexisted within a relatively open political system. Its geography, combining snow-capped mountains suitable for winter sports with a Mediterranean coastline, made it a major tourism destination. At its peak, Lebanon enjoyed one of the highest GDP per capita levels in the region and was regarded as a rare oasis of stability in a turbulent Middle East. This Lebanon, however, no longer exists.

Decades of civil war, corruption, and political paralysis have been a main driving force behind its decline. Yet Hezbollah's emergence as an armed state within the state, and its repeated wars with Israel on behalf of its patrons in Iran, are key factors that have contributed to Lebanon's collapse.

Lebanon: From 'Switzerland of the Middle East' to Iran's Puppet :: Gatestone Institute

State Lawmakers Nationwide Erect Firewalls Against Sharia Law

 A quiet surge is reshaping American courts in states such as Georgia and Missouri to prevent the encroach of Sharia law.

State legislators are advancing “American Laws for American Courts” (ALAC) and related measures. These laws attempt to keep the U.S. and state constitutions as the sole legal authorities. The message to Americans is clear: no foreign codes and no parallel tribunals. This effort addresses real risks in family law, contracts, child custody, arbitration, and other legal conflicts.

These laws are not instance of intolerance or fearmongering; Sharia principles have clashed with constitutional rights in our nation, and these laws will help prevent such clashes in the future.

The foundation for these laws was laid years ago. Since 2010, about a dozen states have enacted ALAC-style protections. These laws bar courts from enforcing foreign laws that violate American liberties.

State Lawmakers Nationwide Erect Firewalls Against Sharia Law | Frontpage Mag

With Viktor Orbán Gone, Will Hungary Embrace Free Markets Under Péter Magyar?

 National conservatism was dealt a blow this week when Hungarians ousted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in the country's parliamentary elections on Sunday. The country turned out in record numbers to elect Péter Magyar, a former Orbán loyalist and the leader of the center-right Tisza party, who declared that "together, we liberated Hungary." With record turnout, preliminary election results put Magyar's Tisza party on course for 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament, with Orbán's nationalist Fidesz party on course for 55, and the far-right Our Homeland on course for six.

While Orbán's defeat has undoubtedly been met with dismay by his MAGA allies, much of Hungary has celebrated the news. "We are so happy that Orbán is finally gone!" said one Hungarian celebrating on Sunday night, as the crowd in the capital chanted "Russians go home!"

Given Orbán spent 16 years in office, this response is understandable. After being elected in 2010, one of the first things his party did was amend the constitution to give itself more power, despite making no promise of constitutional reform during the election. The new constitution, which was rushed through with no referendum or consultation with opposition parties, allowed the government to expand Hungary's Constitutional Court, appoint Orbán loyalists, and consolidate the regime's domestic power.

With Viktor Orbán gone, will Hungary embrace free markets under Péter Magyar?

Expanded ban on males entering women's spaces passed by Idaho lawmakers

 The Idaho Legislature has passed an expanded ban on trans-identified males using sex-segregated spaces designated for women and girls, as the number of states with such laws approaches two dozen. 

The Republican-controlled Idaho Senate passed House Bill 752 in a 28-7 vote Friday, sending the legislation to Republican Gov. Brad Little’s desk. The vote fell largely along party lines, with all Democrats opposing the measure and all but one Republican supporting it.

The Republican-controlled Idaho House of Representatives approved the bill in a 54-15 vote earlier this month, with all Democrats opposing it and six Republicans breaking from their party to side with Democrats. 

The legislation states that any person "who knowingly and willfully enters a restroom or changing room in a place of public accommodation, as defined in section 67-5902, Idaho Code, that is designated for use by the opposite sex” is “guilty of a misdemeanor and may be imprisoned in the county jail for a period not to exceed one (1) year” on the first offense.

A second offense within a five-year period will result in a felony conviction and a sentence of up to five years in state prison. 

Expanded ban on males entering women's spaces passed in Idaho | Politics

Iranian villagers protect downed U.S. airman, while lefty Europeans root for his capture

 Iranian villagers protect downed U.S. airman, while lefty Europeans root for his capture - American Thinker

link to the article

It Turns Out That Democrats Support Requiring ID...But Only For Free Admission Into Obama's Library

 Barack Obama’s horrendous Presidential Center is just about to open, and the ticket prices have finally been advertised. The big headline of the story is that, on Tuesdays, Illinois residents are able to attend for completely free, but only if they can prove that they’re actually a resident.

That’s not all. The venue also held a promotional giveaway for two tickets and airfare for the grand opening. The catch? The promotion is only available for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. Sorry illegals, you have to pay full price.

It Turns Out That Democrats Support Requiring ID...But Only For Free Admission Into Obama's Library

Cedarville professor, author on Christian sexual ethics(aka no sex before getting a state marriage license and similar anti-sex doctrines), arrested on eight sex felonies

 A former Cedarville University finance professor whose writings promote a Christian ethic of marriage and sexuality was arrested Tuesday on eight sex-related felony charges involving one or more minors.

The indictment, filed March 27 in Ohio’s Greene County Common Pleas Court, charges John Kent Tarwater with two counts of rape, three counts of sexual battery and three counts of gross sexual imposition.

He was booked into Greene County jail in southwest Ohio, where he remained in custody as of Wednesday morning. No defense counsel was listed in public court records, and no hearing or trial dates were disclosed.

Tarwater, 55, has been listed in Cedarville academic catalogs as a business and finance faculty member since 2017, rising from assistant professor to professor of finance in the Robert W. Plaster School of Business.

Three years ago, a Cedarville University news release noted the school’s designation as the state’s “Most Collegiest Town” by The Washington Post. “Melding town culture with university culture” set the town apart, the release said, adding, “It’s also professors like Dr. John Tarwater, associate professor of finance, watching one of his 11 children on the (basketball) court.”

Cedarville professor, author on Christian sexual ethics, arrested on eight sex felonies