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Alan W. Dowd is a Senior Fellow with the American Security Council Foundation, where he writes on the full range of topics relating to national defense, foreign policy and international security. Dowd’s commentaries and essays have appeared in Policy Review, Parameters, Military Officer, The American Legion Magazine, The Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations, The Claremont Review of Books, World Politics Review, The Wall Street Journal Europe, The Jerusalem Post, The Financial Times Deutschland, The Washington Times, The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Examiner, The Detroit News, The Sacramento Bee, The Vancouver Sun, The National Post, The Landing Zone, Current, The World & I, The American Enterprise, Fraser Forum, American Outlook, The American and the online editions of Weekly Standard, National Review and American Interest. Beyond his work in opinion journalism, Dowd has served as an adjunct professor and university lecturer; congressional aide; and administrator, researcher and writer at leading think tanks, including the Hudson Institute, Sagamore Institute and Fraser Institute. An award-winning writer, Dowd has been interviewed by Fox News Channel, Cox News Service, The Washington Times, The National Post, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and numerous radio programs across North America. In addition, his work has been quoted by and/or reprinted in The Guardian, CBS News, BBC News and the Council on Foreign Relations. Dowd holds degrees from Butler University and Indiana University. Follow him at twitter.com/alanwdowd.

ASCF News

Scott Tilley is a Senior Fellow at the American Security Council Foundation, where he writes the “Technical Power” column, focusing on the societal and national security implications of advanced technology in cybersecurity, space, and foreign relations.

He is an emeritus professor at the Florida Institute of Technology. Previously, he was with the University of California, Riverside, Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute, and IBM. His research and teaching were in the areas of computer science, software & systems engineering, educational technology, the design of communication, and business information systems.

He is president and founder of the Center for Technology & Society, president and co-founder of Big Data Florida, past president of INCOSE Space Coast, and a Space Coast Writers’ Guild Fellow.

He has authored over 150 academic papers and has published 28 books (technical and non-technical), most recently Systems Analysis & Design (Cengage, 2020), SPACE (Anthology Alliance, 2019), and Technical Justice (CTS Press, 2019). He wrote the “Technology Today” column for FLORIDA TODAY from 2010 to 2018.

He is a popular public speaker, having delivered numerous keynote presentations and “Tech Talks” for a general audience. Recent examples include the role of big data in the space program, a four-part series on machine learning, and a four-part series on fake news.

He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Victoria (1995).

Contact him at stilley@cts.today.

South Africa Supports Hamas

Friday, February 2, 2024

Written by Laurence F Sanford, Senior Analyst ASCF

Categories: ASCF Articles

Comments: 0

NelsonMandela

Written January 22nd, 2024

On January 11, 2024, South Africa filed charges of genocide against Israel in the United Nations International Court of Justice for casualties incurred against citizens of Gaza by Israel. No mention was made that the casualties were in response to Hamas atrocities committed against Israeli citizens on October 7, 2023. Hamas murdered, raped, and tortured over 1,200 Israelis, and over 200 were taken hostage. Hamas claims over 25,000 Gazans have died.

No charges have been filed by South Africa or any other nation in the Court against Hamas for its atrocities. On the contrary, worldwide demonstrations have been in support of Hamas. The rationale for Hamas support is classic Marxism --- that Israel is the oppressor and the Palestinians are the oppressed. And add Islamic ideology that Israel has no right to exist, and one has massive demonstrations against Israel led by Marxists and Muslims.

From Israel’s founding in 1948 to the early 2000s, relations between Israel and South Africa were mostly friendly. However, relations deteriorated with changes in the ruling political party, African National Congress (ANC) leadership, and the ongoing Palestinian conflict. Crime, corruption, and social conflict between blacks and whites have steadily increased under ANC rule. Violent crime in South Africa is among the highest in the world.

South Africa has long been a supporter of Palestinian and Hamas causes, equating Jewish defensive measures to apartheid similar to what black South Africans were subjected to under previous white rule.

Senior Hamas officials were invited to Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, in December 2023 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death at the age of 95. Included in the ceremony was a Hamas delegation with former Hamas minister Basem Naim and Hamas’ representative in Iran, Khaled Qaddoumi. The ceremony was led by Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa (1994-1999). He was a leader in the ANC and the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM). Founded in Great Britain in 1959, AAM called for the worldwide boycott of South African goods. Beginning in 1962, Mandela spent 27 years in jail for political offenses. He received the Nobel Prize in 1993 for his role in dismantling apartheid. Mandela was also a supporter of Palestinians.

South Africa is one of the BRICS trading bloc countries formed to move the world economy away from U.S. dollar domination. BRICS represents Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Recently, the countries of Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia joined BRICS. None of the above countries can be called friendly towards the U.S. and Western Civilization except possibly India.

The Communist Party in South Africa has significant influence within the ANC, dating back to the Soviet Union’s backing of the ANC’s efforts to dismantle apartheid. South Africa held joint naval exercises with Russia and China in February 2023. South Africa refused to join in sanctions against Russia for the Ukraine invasion and abstained from condemning it in a U.N. vote.

Summary

South Africa’s filing of genocide against Israel at the United Nations is a classic example of hypocrisy. ANC ignored World Court rulings when the rulings went against their policies. ANC closed the Israeli Embassy and voted to sever diplomatic relations because of Gaza.

Why do so many countries and organizations demonize Israel? Western Civilization should be defending the right for Israel to exist. Judaism is a foundation block in Western Civilization’s individual freedoms and social care concept.

Action

  • Reciprocity is needed in American foreign policy. South Africa files genocide charges against Israel in the U.N.; then the U.S. should file genocide charges against Hamas.
  • The U.S. should support gray zone activities in support of American interests.
  • Invest in the U.S. military and supporting industrial complexes.

Peace Through Strength!

Laurence F. Sanford
Senior Analyst
American Security Council Foundation

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