I thank those who have donated to the Middle East Forum in 2022 – and invite those who have not yet done so to send a tax-deductible contribution, most easily by clicking here.
The world’s spotlight does not shine on the Middle East or Islamism these days. But these issues, always percolating, have a tendency to hit us when we are not paying attention – think of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait or 9/11.
Therefore, our specialists – 16 staff members and 20 fellows – keep a close eye to the region, researching and reporting on a range of issues that will impact Americans and the West:
Qatar finances radical Islam across the West and infiltrates;
Islamists team with Leftists and Rightists to undermine democratic institution;
Illegal migrants from Islamist hot spots who abhor our values flood across the almost-open border with Mexico; and
While MEF has become an action tank – promoting American interests directly with universities, corporate boardrooms, courts of law, Congress, federal agencies, the White House, Israel’s leadership, and Persian Gulf royal courts – our core mission remains an intellectual output, as supported by readers and webinar viewers like you.
The Threat from Turkey – Writing Fellow Burak Bekdil and I have called for the Islamist dictatorship of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to be expelled from NATO (see also, here and here) due to its hostility to the West and embrace of Putin. Fox News quoted both of us extensively on the topic.
Israeli Military Doctrine – Fellow Seth Frantzman took a deep-dive into the IDF’s new Momentum Plan, which is the key to victory on the future battlefield. The Forum's Israel Victory Project inspired the IDF's Plan.
Mainstreaming Islamic Extremism in the West – After Malik Faisal Akram’s terrorist attack on a Texas synagogue, demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, "Lady Al Qaeda," from federal prison, Ben Shapiro read, on his popular podcast, an entire article by the Forum’s Sam Westrop on how “mainstream” lawful Islamist groups have made Siddiqui a cause célèbre. “Twenty years after 9/11, besuited Islamist operatives are successfully able to advocate on her behalf, fueled by liberal handwringing and the political dogmas of our age.”
The Legitimacy of Israel – I explained in the Wall Street Journal that Israel is the only country in the world that was purchased rather than conquered. Jews re-established sovereignty in their homeland by buying land, acre by acre, in voluntary transactions. Only after an all-out attack by Arab states in 1948 to crush the nascent Jewish state, did Israel take up arms to win land through military conquest.
Recent MEF webinars featured fellow Todd Bensman (left) discussing the Islamists flooding into the U.S. through the open southern border; and Michael Rubin (center) examining the stability of the Tehran regime. Former Vice President Mike Pence (right) joined me for a conversation.
Compliments – Some Backhanded MEF is one of the “most influential neocon Zionist think tanks in the U.S.” – Daniel Haqiqatjou, a very popular hardline Islamist commentator, May 29, 2022.
“The Middle East Forum [is] a respected anti-Islamist group.” – The Washington Examiner, May 27, 2022.
“The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) … today expressed deep concern about the selection of Tonya Ugoretz to lead the FBI Directorate of Intelligence due to her past work with an anti-Muslim hate group and far-right extremist Daniel Pipes.” – Islamist group CAIR press release, which accompanied a letter of protest to the FBI, after Director Chris Wray appointed the MEF alumna to head the FBI’s Intelligence Directorate, May 24, 2022
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I hope you find utility in the breadth and detail of our intellectual output. If you are also interested in learning more about our activism, please let me know by hitting “reply” to this email and we will be pleased to send you a short overview of this work.
On behalf of our Board of Governors, the staff and writing fellows, I appreciate your consideration of this request for support.
Yours sincerely,
Daniel Pipes President
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PAYMENT OPTIONS
Please address all questions about contributions to Gregg Roman, Roman@MEForum.org or 215-546-5406 ext. 104.
(1) Online via Credit Card or PayPal: Supporting the Forum is most easily done at our website by clicking here. (The website is secure and encrypted; your personal information cannot be read as it travels through the Internet.)
(2) Personal Check via the Postal Service: Please make a check payable to “Middle East Forum” and mail it to:
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If you donate stock, please email us at donations@MEForum.org or call 215-546-5406 x104 to inform us of the gift so that we may thank you.
(4) Planned Giving: A gift in perpetuity enhances the Forum’s capabilities while allowing you to transfer more wealth to your heirs at a lower cost. Each of the following 4 methods serves a different purpose and fits a specific investment plan:
Charitable Bequest – to remove assets from a taxable estate and make a larger contribution than may be possible during one’s lifetime.
Life Insurance – to gain a charitable income tax deduction for the cash surrender value and premiums of a life insurance policy.
Retirement Plan – to reduce the size of a taxable estate, avoid income taxation on those funds, avoid income and estate taxes, and increase the amounts passing to heirs.
Charitable Trust – to see philanthropy in action, making transfers to heirs at a lower tax cost and designating beneficiaries to receive payments for life or a term of years. Three types of Charitable Trusts: Charitable Remainder Trust, Charitable Lead Trust, Retained Life Estate.
For more information on MEF's Legacy Society, please contact Gregg Roman, MEF's director, at 215-546-5406 ext. 104 or Roman@MEForum.org.
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION INFORMATION
Benefits: We offer a wide range of benefits and gifts to donors, such as invitations to events (Click here for details.)
International Donations: International donations to the Middle East Forum in a non-U.S. currency are most easily done via PayPal, which draws on one’s credit card, debit card, or bank account. If you do not have PayPal, please contact Gregg Roman at 215-546-5406 ext. 104 or Roman@MEForum.org.
Nonprofit Status: The Middle East Forum is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, meaning donations are tax deductible within the United States.
United Way: Donations through United Way's Donor Choice Program, MEF’s Agency Code is 52445.
Combined Federal Campaign: The Forum is now included in the Combined Federal Campaign, available to Federal workers. Please see https://www.opm.gov/combined-federal-campaign/ for more details.
Political and Economic Analyses: Middle East Forum staff members are available on contract to do political and economic analyses.
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