12-19-11: Federal judge: Iran Shares Responsibility for 9/11 Terror Attacks [Plus: Who Received Special Awards?]

Publisher of FSM Receives Special Awards For tenacity and resourcefulness. by W. Thomas Smith, Jr. The U.S. Counterterrorism Advisory Team issued awards on Friday at S.C. State House. Carol A. Taber, President of the Family Security Foundation, was among the recipients. FSM Best Christmas Books Recommended reads for you to enjoy over the Christmas, Hanukah and New Year season. ♦♦♦ CHECK OUT FSM'S NEW HOT PICKS' FEATURE: "WHAT DOES PAM THINK? "♦♦♦ Read Pam's comments and then join in the conversation! Read FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor J. Christian Adams' SHOCKING new book! Buy it here VIDEOS * TODAY'S HOT PICKS ♦ CHECK OUT FSM'S NEW HOT PICKS' FEATURE: "WHAT DOES PAM THINK? "♦ 1. Federal judge: Iran Shares Responsibility for 9/11 Terror Attacks 2. Memo to World Diplomats: Don't Cry for Kim 3. VIDEO: President Obama: No Other President Has Done More for Israel's Security 4. VIDEO: Newscaster Fights Tears Over Kim Jong Il's Death 5. VIDEO: One Boy USO: Amazing 8-Year-Old Welcomes Home Troops at Airport Twice a Month 6. Iran Official: Obama under Intense Mental Pressure 7. VIDEO: Chuck Woolery on Class Warfare 8. Keystone Blue-Collar Blues 9. VIDEO: Protesters Descend on Lowe‘s for Pulling its Ads From 'All-American Muslim' 10. VIDEO: Hezbollah Laundering Probe Focuses On Tulsa Car Dealership The Power of the Pen - Abused Mark Silverberg The New York Times frequently appears to be engaged in Israel-bashing. But this month, its stance on Israel crossed the boundaries of "objective journalism." Christianity's Triumph Alan Caruba The truth is that the rise of Christianity is one of the most extraordinary stories of the past two millennia. To ignore its rise is to be ignorant of an essential element of Western history. Congressional Salaries: Too High? Or Too Low? Frank Hill Congressional member and staff pay is one of the easiest things to focus on and 'hate' about our wonderful democratic republican form of government, but is it the most important? Today's Hot Topics We choose, you peruse. 1. North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il Has Died [FOX] 2. House GOP threatens to kill bipartisan payroll tax deal in vote set for Monday [THE HILL] 3. French credit downgrade could come 'within days' - Standard & Poor's expected downgrade could create panic in the financial markets and make eurozone crisis even worse [GUARDIAN] 4. China villagers threaten to march on government offices [BREITBART] 5. China Is Helping to Arm Iran and Sidestep Sanctions Thanks to an Assist From North Korea [FOX] 6. Alabama jobless rate falls amid immigration reform [DAILY CALLER] 7. Julian Assange could be handed over to US, supporters claim [TELEGRAPH] 8. Occupy...North Pole! Pricey Private School‘s 'Christmas' Play Skewers Big Oil, Corporate Greed [THE BLAZE] 9. Islamists win 70 percent of the vote in second round of Egypt elections [HAARETZ] 10. 'No Merry Christmas,' U.S. House Members Told [FOX] BREAKING NEWS: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il Dead Kim Jong Il, North Korea's mercurial and enigmatic longtime leader, has died of heart failure. He was 69. In a "special broadcast" Monday from the North Korean capital, state media said Kim died of a heart ailment on a train due to a "great mental and physical strain" on Dec. 17 during a "high intensity field inspection." It said an autopsy was done on Dec. 18 and "fully confirmed" the diagnosis... Israel: Violent Rioters and Media Goons Caroline Glick Muslim rioters aren't the only ones who use violence to force the Israeli government's hand. Leftist rioters routinely resort to violence to get their way as well. Who's REALLY Blowing Up Iran? Dr. Michael Ledeen Another blast, this time at an Iranian industrial installation, begs the question: Please Sign 1Lt. Michael Behenna's Petition for Clemency Diana West First Lieutenant Michael Behenna, one of the Leavenworth 10, is serving fifteen years for killing a suspected Al Qaeda in Iraq operative who had a weapons cache in his possession. The Specter of Jizya Returns to Egypt Raymond Ibrahim Jizya is a tax that is prescribed in the Koran that non-Muslims must pay Muslims, as part of their subjugation. In Egypt, the notion of officially imposing this tax is alive and well. Pvt. Manning-Wikileaks Hearing Reveals Army's Security Weaknesses Jim Kouri, CPP Private Bradley Manning appeared in court for the first time on Friday, accused of leaking army secrets. Details of the hearing show that security at his unit was already lax. Quote of the Day - December 19, 2011 FSM: Quote of the Day For leaders who preach pacifism while engaging in wars. The Endless Triumph of Christmas (Disclaimer: No atheists were harmed in the making of this column.) Ralph Peters There are those who seek to politically attack Christmas, declaring it offensive to minority religions, and those who over-commercialize it, but Christmas transcends divisive trends... Click here to sign up for FSM's e-mail updates!