Saudis Funded Columbia Program At Institute That Trained Teachers

The New York Sun ^ | March 10, 2005 | JACOB GERSHMAN - Staff Reporter of the Sun

[rmlew]

Saudi Arabia has funneled tens of thousands of dollars into the "outreach" programs of Columbia University's Middle East Institute, which until last week was training some of the city's public-school teachers in how to teach students about Middle East politics.

Since 2002, the government-owned Saudi Aramco has given the institute annual grants of $15,000 for unspecified outreach activities. The institute's outreach activities have included a 15-week teacher-training course on Middle East politics led by Columbia faculty members and graduate students.

In a letter dated April 27, 2004, a scholar of Arab nationalism who took over the Middle East Institute in 2003, Rashid Khalidi, wrote to a senior executive in public affairs at Saudi Aramco, Mustafa Jalali, thanking him for "your generous contribution to the Middle East Institute's outreach activities in 2004." The money, Mr. Khalidi wrote, "will enable us to be more proactive and seek out wider outreach opportunities."

[rmlew]

Saudi Arabia funds Columbia's Middle East Institute education program to frame Middle East issues. MEALAC and the Middle East Institute is part of the Wahabbi kingdoms propaganda campaign.

That this propaganda is anti-Western, anti-Christian, and anti-Jewish should be bad enough. However, at a time when we are at war with Islamist Terrorists, Columbia is being used as a base of enemy propaganda and as a tool to spread the disinformation into every classroom in America.In the battle for hearts and minds, Columbia is funded fifth column. The harassment of students by professors is bad, but this borders on treason.

Columbia’s MEALAC program receives Title IV funding from the US government to train Arabic speakers and analysts for the War on Terror. This is a Federal issue and one of National Security.
Please contact your Congressperson about this.

[rmlew]

Treason at Columbia ping

[hang 'em]

All Wahabi influence, money, and muslims should be expunged from this land. (THIS MEANS YOU, CAIR).

[twigs]

As much as I disliked Edward Said's screeds, he wrote about this years ago.

[rmlew]

As much as I disliked Edward Said's screeds, he wrote about this years ago.
Please cite.

[Fractal Trader]

This seems like a tempest in a teapot to me. After all, the total amount involved is $15,000. I don't think that that adds up to much in the grand scheme of things.

[cyborg]

I'm not surprised that the ME program is house organ of the Saudi 'Our Friends' Arabian gubbermint.

[twigs]

I think it was in his book: Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See the Rest of the World. I had to read it for a class several years ago (before 9/11) and I seem to remember something about the Saudis funding schools of higher education. It's been awhile though. He also made the point that because of this funding and the bias that goes along with it, we missed the rising terror in Iran. He said only one Ph.D. dissertation got that one right--and it was written by an obscure student from California, IIRC. Of course, he wrote a LOT about the influence of American Jews on everything, too. I just don't remember the particulars.

[cookcounty]

Rashid Khalidi is only slightly more rational than Ward Churchill. The difference is that Khalili's pals have lots of guns.

[rmlew]

The MEI and MEALAC get Title IV Funding from the US government to train Arabic speakers and analysts for the War on Terror. This is a Federal issue and one of National Security.

[Piranha]

I suspect that a consensus may be forming that Lee Bollinger may be the wrong man for the job of President of Columbia at this time.

[rmlew]

One would think. However liberals keep standing up for him. Teh March 4 edition of the Jewish week shilled for him, completely ignoring issues that even the NY Times covered. I wrote them a rather harsh letter, which they will not run. (I guess pointing out that the NY Sun, WSJ, and even the NY Times had issues with the composition of the Ad-Hoc committee hurt their feelings.)
Just when we get traction, damn "Jewish" groups put leftism before Judaism, America, or Academic freedom.

[BayouCoyote]

All Wahabi influence, money, and muslims should be expunged from this land. (THIS MEANS YOU, CAIR).

Well stated.


They are not here to become Americans.