Archive for December 23, 2005
Read this entire article on Mehlis in Der Spiegel. This will not be published in Lebanon. “And Mehlis believes he is close to the truth — nevertheless, he was unable to find enough solid evidence to ensure that his case would hold up in court…The German prosecutor is convinced that this network of Lebanese and [...]
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
This conservative writer is right: “The media may be biased, but even they support the troops.”
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
Meanwhile, in “sovereign” Iraq: “U.S. airstrikes in Iraq have surged this fall, jumping to nearly five times the average monthly rate earlier in the year, according to U.S. military figures. Until the end of August, U.S. warplanes were conducting about 25 strikes a month. The number rose to 62 in September, then to 122 in [...]
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
“U.S. Marine airstrikes targeting insurgents sheltering in Iraqi residential neighborhoods are killing civilians as well as guerrillas along the Euphrates River in far western Iraq, according to Iraqi townspeople and officials and the U.S. military.”
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
Hasan Nasrallah on Al-Manar TV. Well, you know that we can’t watch Al-Manar TV in the US anymore. It used to be offered by Globecast satellite service (which I get), but Al-Manar has been banned. I rarely watch the service of Globecast, because they mostly offer official Arab stations. I mean, how interested are you [...]
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
If you really want sophisticated and just abstract analysis of international relations, you really have to seek the columns of Thomas Friedman. Here, Friedman analyzes the Iranian president: “So you are nothing more than a shah with a turban and a few crooked ballot boxes sprinkled around.” (Do you know that there are some professors [...]
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
“Another School Barrier for African Girls: No Toilet”
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
“U.S. Monitored Muslim Sites Across Nation for Radiation.” Just watch. Bush will invite the leaders of Muslim American organization to the White House for one photo op and those leaders will then rush to offer praise for Bush. Hell, I would not be surprised if Ibrahim Hooper issues a fatwa calling on Muslims to consider [...]
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
Pimpism: Lebanese publisher Ghassan Tuwayni was asked today about his opinion of `Amr Musa’s initiative for Lebanese-Syrian crisis. He said it is “`Akratah” (pimpism). An-Nahar did not publish the word but said that he used an obscene word.
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
So who is the terrorist?
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
Red flags in Beirut. You never see this in the US press. And Lebanese Communist Party leader, Khalid Hdadah, is a great rally speaker. I just wish they play a bigger role, and take more initiatives.
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
Is there anything I can do for Al-Jazeera to end its unending monologues of Muhammad Hasanayn Haykal? Anything. Please.
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
After Omar Sharif, every Arab artist have to address the “international option”–i.e. the option of going global, or to Hollywood. He/she is either expecting it, or waiting for it, or claims to have turned it down. I heard an interview with Palestinian director Michel Khlayfi, and he said that he was “invited by Hollywood”–and notice [...]
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
The US will withdraw two brigades from Iraq, bringing down troop levels to a mere 138,000. And according to international law, any occupation that relies on less than 140,000 occupation troops is NOT an occupation. So the occupation has now ended. Enjoy.
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
The US hoped that the Iraqi election would narrow the basis of opposition and resistance to US occupation. It looks like the elections have actually expanded the basis of opposition. Another brilliant move by George W.
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
There are wild rumors in the Palestinian areas about clear signs of outside funding for candidates, especially those who are on good terms with “the West” like the ever opportunistic Yasir `Abd Rabbuh. And Hamas seems to awash with cash too.
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
Shadow Government by Syrian poet Muhammad Al-Maghut (my translation): “My mother is Arabismand my father is struggleand my sister is unityand my uncle is positive neutralismand my [other] uncle is non-alignmentand my brother-in-law is steadfastnessand my mother-in-law is the Arab Leagueand my grandfather is [Arab] Joint Defenseand my children are the streetsand I call for [...]
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
Salaman and Absal on the Heavenly Isle (Mirza ‘Ali, Persian, 1560).
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
Look at this guy. Why did he not speak when he ran his last (unsuccessful) Senate race in South Dakota, when he stressed how much he respected Bush, and when his campaign commercials included footage of him embracing Bush: “Tom Daschle: “Instead of employing tactics that preserve Americans’ freedoms, the White House has chosen methods [...]
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad
“Some Paraguayans Fear U.S. ‘Secret Agenda’: Closer ties, including joint military exercises and a visit by Rumsfeld, have sparked rumors of American plans to station troops there.”
Posted on December 23, 2005 by As'ad