J203 Assignment #14
1. What is the purpose of MEMRI, and where does it have offices?
MERMI is an organization that sends high-quality translations of Arabic newspaers to journalists, politicians, and academics in the United States; free of charge. It has offices in Washington, London, Berlin and Jerusalem.
2. What reason does the organization give for its secrecy, and why does the author think it's strange?
The reason for this secrecy, according to a former employee, is that "they don't want suicide bombers walking through the door on Monday morning" (Washington Times, June 20). The author feels this is strange because, lets face it, all they are doing is translating languages, why do feel that suicide bombers would be coming for them?
3. What characteristics of MERMI lead the author to believe that is not a non-partisan organization?
Evidence from Memri's website also casts doubt on its non-partisan status. Besides supporting liberal democracy, civil society, and the free market, the institute also emphasises "the continuing relevance of Zionism to the Jewish people and to the state of Israel". The author says that MERMI has stated they have translated extremeist, violent quotes from Hebew publications, but he cannot remember receveing any. The wild quotes come only from Islamic publications.
4. Give some information about the Hudson Institute and Richard Perle not contained in this story.
Hudson mission statement: Hudson Institute is a non-partisan policy research organization dedicated to innovative research and analysis that promotes global security, prosperity, and freedom. We challenge conventional thinking and help manage strategic transitions to the future through interdisciplinary and collaborative studies in defense, international relations, economics, culture, science, technology, and law. Through publications, conferences and policy recommendations, we seek to guide global leaders in government and business.
Richard Perle is a member of several conservative think-tanks, such as Project for the New American Century (PNAC), the Hudson Institute, and (as a resident fellow) the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. He is also a Patron of the Henry Jackson Society. Perle has written extensively on a number of issues; his cited research interests including defense, national security and the Middle East.
5. Did Mr. Ahwad have any ulterior motive when he wrote about orders to cut off the ears of deserters?
According to a Washington Post report in 1998, the amputation claim formed part of his application for political asylum in the United States. At the time, he was one of six Iraqis under arrest in the US as suspected terrorists or Iraqi intelligence agents, and he was trying to show that the Americans had made a mistake.
7. What were MEMRI's two "propoganda successes against Saudi Arabia"?
The first was its translation of an article from al-Riyadh newspaper in which a columnist wrote that Jews use the blood of Christian or Muslim children in pastries for the Purim religious festival. Memri's next success came a month later when Saudi Arabia's ambassador to London wrote a poem entitled The Martyrs - about a young woman suicide bomber - which was published in al-Hayat newspaper. Memri sent out translated extracts from the poem, which it described as "praising suicide bombers". Whether that was the poem's real message is a matter of interpretation.
8. According to the author, how and why is MEMRI's objective mission being 'exploited'?
The danger is that many of the senators, congressmen and "opinion formers" who don't read Arabic but receive Memri's emails may get the idea that these extreme examples are not only truly representative but also reflect the policies of Arab governments.
9. According to the author, what could be done to offset MEMRI's allegedly slanted information.
The author states that small groups of Arabs could counter the articles posted by this Israelis and give the full article and the truth about the snipits that the Israelis.
MERMI is an organization that sends high-quality translations of Arabic newspaers to journalists, politicians, and academics in the United States; free of charge. It has offices in Washington, London, Berlin and Jerusalem.
2. What reason does the organization give for its secrecy, and why does the author think it's strange?
The reason for this secrecy, according to a former employee, is that "they don't want suicide bombers walking through the door on Monday morning" (Washington Times, June 20). The author feels this is strange because, lets face it, all they are doing is translating languages, why do feel that suicide bombers would be coming for them?
3. What characteristics of MERMI lead the author to believe that is not a non-partisan organization?
Evidence from Memri's website also casts doubt on its non-partisan status. Besides supporting liberal democracy, civil society, and the free market, the institute also emphasises "the continuing relevance of Zionism to the Jewish people and to the state of Israel". The author says that MERMI has stated they have translated extremeist, violent quotes from Hebew publications, but he cannot remember receveing any. The wild quotes come only from Islamic publications.
4. Give some information about the Hudson Institute and Richard Perle not contained in this story.
Hudson mission statement: Hudson Institute is a non-partisan policy research organization dedicated to innovative research and analysis that promotes global security, prosperity, and freedom. We challenge conventional thinking and help manage strategic transitions to the future through interdisciplinary and collaborative studies in defense, international relations, economics, culture, science, technology, and law. Through publications, conferences and policy recommendations, we seek to guide global leaders in government and business.
It was founded in 1961 by the brilliant futurist Herman Kahn.
Richard Perle is a member of several conservative think-tanks, such as Project for the New American Century (PNAC), the Hudson Institute, and (as a resident fellow) the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. He is also a Patron of the Henry Jackson Society. Perle has written extensively on a number of issues; his cited research interests including defense, national security and the Middle East.
5. Did Mr. Ahwad have any ulterior motive when he wrote about orders to cut off the ears of deserters?
According to a Washington Post report in 1998, the amputation claim formed part of his application for political asylum in the United States. At the time, he was one of six Iraqis under arrest in the US as suspected terrorists or Iraqi intelligence agents, and he was trying to show that the Americans had made a mistake.
7. What were MEMRI's two "propoganda successes against Saudi Arabia"?
The first was its translation of an article from al-Riyadh newspaper in which a columnist wrote that Jews use the blood of Christian or Muslim children in pastries for the Purim religious festival. Memri's next success came a month later when Saudi Arabia's ambassador to London wrote a poem entitled The Martyrs - about a young woman suicide bomber - which was published in al-Hayat newspaper. Memri sent out translated extracts from the poem, which it described as "praising suicide bombers". Whether that was the poem's real message is a matter of interpretation.
8. According to the author, how and why is MEMRI's objective mission being 'exploited'?
The danger is that many of the senators, congressmen and "opinion formers" who don't read Arabic but receive Memri's emails may get the idea that these extreme examples are not only truly representative but also reflect the policies of Arab governments.
9. According to the author, what could be done to offset MEMRI's allegedly slanted information.
The author states that small groups of Arabs could counter the articles posted by this Israelis and give the full article and the truth about the snipits that the Israelis.
posted by J203-SeanMichetti at 3:07 PM
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