Washington Watch

Last week’s terrorist bombing of a U.S. Navy destroyer that was refueling in the Yemeni port of Aden may boost a new anti-terrorism bill introduced early in the month by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).

The new legislation is intended to implement the recommendations of the National Commission on Terrorism, issued earlier this year.

The measure directs the president to establish a joint task force to develop new strategies for limiting fundraising in this country for international terror groups and would require a number of federal agencies to report to Congress on how they are beefing up enforcement of anti-terror laws.

And it calls for better sharing of information between intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

The measure also expresses the sense of Congress that both Syria and Iran should remain on the official list of nations that sponsor international terrorism until they provide evidence they are no longer doing so.

After the terrorist attack on the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen last week, Kyl added language pressing for an investigation into the bombing, something the administration has already been pursuing.

“The perpetrators of this cowardly attack and other terrorist groups must understand that the United Sates will not be deterred from meeting our global responsibilities by such senseless acts of violence,” Kyl said. “It is also imperative that we take steps to improve U.S. counter-terrorism efforts.”

Kyl’s bill is unlikely to advance before Congress adjourns this week or next. But congressional sources say the lawmaker wanted to get the measure on the record before adjournment and get a head start for the next Congress.

Subdued Response to
Farrakhan March

Five years ago, Jewish groups around the country were mobilized to fight Nation of Islam minister Louis Farrakhan’s Million Man March on Washington’s Mall.

This week, Farrakhan’s latest gathering, the Million Family March, prompted a much more subdued reaction.

The reason? Jewish officials believe that while Farrakhan’s events seem to be gathering broader support, including support for this week’s march by the Congressional Black Caucus, the Black nationalist’s slurs against Jews and other groups have hobbled his efforts to win greater personal credibility.

Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), said Farrakhan’s attempts to mainstream himself have produced mixed results, a fact that was apparent at Monday’s march in Washington.

“He clearly wants to become more mainstream,” Foxman said. “And he’s gradually increasing his support from other groups. But I don’t think it’s a serious effort; I don’t think it’s doing much to increase his legitimacy.”

This week’s Million Family March – which most observers said drew far fewer marchers than the name suggested – was in many ways a failure, Foxman said.

“There were fewer elected officials and public officials than at the Million Man March,” he said. “The march only happened because [the Rev. Sun Myung] Moon funded it. This march was bought, paid and delivered by Moon. That’s not at all mainstream; that’s going off the board in the other direction.”
Moon’s Unification Church played a major role in Monday’s rally.

Foxman admitted that many believe Farrakhan is shifting away from the anti-Semitism and anti-white racism that have made him anathema to Jews, a view ADL does not share.

“We believe he hasn’t changed,” he said. “If anybody doubts that, they should have watched him on Tim Russert.”

Farrakhan appeared on Russert’s “Meet the Press” program on Sunday; when asked why he didn’t apologize for his anti-Semitic remarks in the past, he declined to do so, saying that “you want me to apologize for speaking the truth. You want me to apologize for being bold and fearless.”

He added that he hopes Blacks and Jews can “restructure a relationship that is more equitable, that is more reciprocal rather than a master-slave relationship or that paternalistic relationship of the one who has the money to fund Black organizations, to fund Black newspapers, to fund Black magazines so that it quiets our voice.”

That, Foxman said, “shows this man hasn’t changed at all.”

This week Foxman wrote a letter to Russert, criticizing him for “having once again provided Minister Louis Farrakhan with the prestigious forum of ‘Meet the Press’ to express and promote his vicious, unrelenting anti-Semitism.”