CONTROVERSY!

Home
In this issue
May 24, 2013

Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb: When I didn't so 'humbly disagree'

Caroline B. Glick: Thank you, Hafez al-Assad

Diana West: From the Brooklyn Bridge to London
Morgan Housel: Why spotting bubbles is so much harder than you think

Environmental Nutrition editors: NuVal labeling to the rescue?

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Memorial Day: Jews Serving and KIA in War on Terror; Liberace Bio-Pic; Jew Wins "Survivor"; Shalom, Dr. Brothers; More

The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: HIDE THESE FROZEN TREATS FROM THE KIDDIES!: Sangria pops; Irish cream pudding pops; mango Lassi pops

May 22, 2013

John Thorne: They launched the 'Arab Spring' but now yearn for the good old days of a strongman

John Rosemond: 'Disciplinary math' adds up to parental successl

Warren Richey: Are prayers before public meetings OK? Supreme Court to decide
Rick Montgomery: Use of ADHD drugs as study aid raises concern on campuses

Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.: 6 convincing reasons you should keep carbs in your diet

Eoin O'Carroll: Scientists examine nothing, find something

The Kosher Gourmet by Carole Kotkin: This soup is made from one of the great pleasures of spring: A wonderful pairing of rosy color and earthy tang

May 20, 2013

Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man?

Hannan Adely: Town raises Palestinian flag at City Hall

Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Morgan Housel: When smart investors do stupid things

Sharon Saloman, M.S., R.D.: Hunger games: Eat more, weigh less, without starving

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star

The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting

May 13, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation

David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church

Emily Alpert: Recession dragged down birth rates for less-educated women
Morgan Housel: The deep downside of home ownership

Peter Teffer: Will Dutch police soon be stalking cybercriminals on your computer?

Heidi McIndoo, M.S., R.D.: Meatless 'meat' can have its own set of problems

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Celebrate! This must-try appetizer is delicate yet has depth of flavor: Corn-Leek Cakes with Caviar, Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche

May 10, 2013

Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be

Caroline B. Glick: The dirty little secret about Israel's Arabs

Mona Charen: Hawking's Moral Calculus: The man and the movement he embraces
Morgan Housel: The biggest retirement myth ever told

Sandi Doughton: Eyes may provide new insight into brain problems

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : The Great Gatsby's Jewish Ties; Jews in the "Time 100 list" List; People's Most Beautiful Women

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A sweet-hot meal: Pear salsa spices up salmon

May 8, 2013

Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas

Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate

Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
Amanda Paulson: Study reveals sad truths about community colleges

Harvard Health Letters: Evidence weak that zinc, echinacea are beneficial

The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility

May 6, 2013

Edmund Sanders and Patrick J. McDonnell: Think Israel's objective in Syria is to weaken Assad or embolden the rebels? Think again

Brian Bennett: Israeli airstrikes may show weakness in Syrian defense

Michael Ollove: Millions of ex-felons, parolees and those on probation are about to be entitled to tax-payer paid health coverage
Karen Kaplan: Most men can skip PSA test for prostate cancer, urologists say

Kimberly Lankford: How to track down a lost life insurance policy

Dream of Mars exploration achievable, experts say

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan M. Selasky: EGGPLANT WRAPS are an easy, sumptuous and scrumptious meal

May 3, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Human Courage and the Unavoidable, Disturbing Text

Steven Emerson: Attorney General Fights CAIR in Court, Lauds it in Public

Mediterranean diet helps beat dementia: study
Harvard Health Letters: When to be screened for a hearing problem

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Iron Man's Jewish Connections; Marc Maron's New TV Show; Martin Landau Grows Up with Israel; Shalom, Allan Arbus

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: A sweet surprise for Mother's Day dessert

May 1, 2013

Jonathan Rosenblum: An Improbable Journey to Orthodoxy

Jonathan Tobin: Blame Obama, Not Israel for Syria Push

Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Halena M. Gazelka, M.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: What you need to know about implanted pain relief devices

Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine

Jessica Shugart: When it comes to math, MRIs may be better than IQs

The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: The celebrated chef on how high-maintenance ASPARAGUS RISOTTO need not be

April 29, 2013

Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust

Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?

Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Morgan Housel: He's rich, smart and old: Listen to him

Thomas Salinas, D.D.S.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: The safety of amalgam fillings

Harvard Health Letters: Tomatoes and stroke protection

Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Swing into spring with lemon cream pie

April 26, 2013

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The world is a mirror

Caroline B. Glick: Time to confront Obama

Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Kimberly Lankford: New strategies ease pain of paying for long-term care insurance

Howard LeWine, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Too much ibuprofen?

Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Jewish Major Leaguers, 2013; New Movies and Comedy Show; Shalom, 'Lumpy' (Leave it to Beaver)

The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Ho : A bright and cheerful salad to herald the warmer months ahead

April 24, 2013

Steven Emerson: Boston Bomber Exposes Islamist Secret

Morgan Housel Admit it: No one has any idea what's going on
Harvard Health Letters: Can you get headaches from headache medication?

Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D.: How to easily get more Omega-3s in your diet

Melissa Healy: Pot in a pill: All the pain relief without the smoke

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan Russo: Chipotle Chili Butternut Squash Soup is bold, zesty, hot

April 22, 2013

Ken Dilanian: Counterterrorism's future is unclear

US man departing country arrested on terror charges
Barbara Williams: An unorthodox but growing treatment in a 9-year-old's battle against cancer

P.J. Skerrett, M.D.: How to recognize a good whole grain product

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Teen actor Jonah Bobo in New Flick: Hunky James Wolk on Mad Men; Erich Segal's Daughter Writes Prize-Winning Jewish Novel


Jewish World Review Jan. 7, 2004 / 13 Teves, 5764

Link between Syria and Spider-Man and Wal-Mart?

By J.R. Labbe


Printer Friendly Version

Email this article


A shopping spree turns into a geo-political awakening


http://www.jewishworldreview.com | The Spider-Man T-shirt labels escaped close scrutiny until after the items were on the kitchen table, awaiting wrapping and bows.


It was bad enough being reduced to fighting last-minute shoppers at one of those big-box stores. But darn it all, when 4-year-old triplets have specific requests for gifts, and the only place to find them is a Wal-Mart, principle goes right down the toilet.


One hardly blinks these days at a "Made in China" or "Made in Japan" label. But "Made in Syria"? That'll draw you up short.


"Made in Syria" - as in Axis of Evil Part Two. As in political and logistical ally to Hezbollah and other armed radical groups. As in state sponsor of terrorists.


As in the target of Public Law No. 108-175, signed by President George W. Bush on Dec. 12, to "prohibit United States businesses from investing or operating in Syria."


Syria, exporter of toddlers' T-shirts with Spidey on the front.

Donate to JWR


Apparently this shopper wasn't the only one who hadn't read the label until the purchase was final. Neither had Wal-Mart.


"We were not aware that we were carrying the merchandise you mentioned with a label from Syria," said Melissa Berryhill, senior public relations manager in Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. "Thank you for bringing it to our attention."


You're welcome.


Although it is curious that Wal-Mart, which has been accused of making conscious political and moral statements through the merchandise it chooses "not" to carry — no handguns, no books with questionable content or jacket art, no CDs deemed offensive, no video games that are overly violent — wasn't aware that it sold products made in a country listed as a rogue nation by the State Department.


Wal-Mart didn't break any laws in buying Syrian-made T-shirts. Neither did any of the American companies along the product chain that leads from a comic book character's merchandising rights and licensing agreements to the Haddad manufacturing company.


No statutes ban Syrian products from entering the United States.


"Although the Department of State lists Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism and reports that Syria provides `safe haven and support to several terrorist groups,' fewer United States sanctions apply with respect to Syria than with respect to any other country that is listed as a state sponsor of terrorism," said the congressional findings portion of HR 1828 - the Syrian Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act.


With the act's passage, that could change. The president now has the authority to impose sanctions if Syria doesn't get right with the Western world.


Those penalties include prohibiting the export of U.S. products to Syria, prohibiting U.S. businesses from investing or operating in Syria, and banning aircraft owned or controlled by Syria from taking off from, landing in or overflying the United States — a "don't even think about it" sanction, given that this is not happening now.


But Syria can still sell goods here.


It's not as if Syria is a major U.S. trading partner. It ranks somewhere around 94th on the list. U.S.-Syrian trade totaled $500 million in 2002 — a pittance, although U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil Corp. has joint ventures with Syrian firms, and ConcoPhilips has gas operations there.


One Middle East expert says that the threat of economic pressure is unlikely to change hearts or minds.


"Syria, which has extensive trade ties with Europe, is set to become an EU partner in 2010," Murhaf Jouejati, adjunct professor at George Washington University and adjunct scholar at the Middle East Institute, testified to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States on July 9.


Losing a Wal-Mart contract won't exactly paralyze the nation - not as long as the Germans and the French have money to spend.


Wal-Mart's Web site lists its supplier standards for ensuring that companies with which it does business comply with labor, compensation, health, safety and environmental laws. The company has a compliance office in Dubai, which one supposes would be responsible for checking up on Middle Eastern contractors and subcontractors.


Guess the Haddad company does OK when it comes to accessible restrooms and no forced labor.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Jill "J.R.'' Labbe is a senior editorial writer and columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Comment by clicking here.

© 2003, Fort Worth Star-Telegram