Archive for May 26, 2006
Hummus Hit the Fan Update: After banning all political events at the Lebanese University, today the Lebanese American University was closed down. There was a major violent clash between supporters of Jumblat and supporters of Amal, and at least 4 were injured. It was really a Druze-Shi`ite clash. What is most significant is that this [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Palestinians: mourning daily.
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Kissinger Giving assurances to Saddam’s government.
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
“Massive Collection of Formerly Secret and Top Secret Transcripts of Henry Kissinger’s Meetings with World Leaders Published On-Line; 28,000 Pages of Documents Show Kissinger as Negotiator and Policymaker in Real-time, Verbatim Talks with World Leaders“
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
“Kissinger pressed: “Our attitude is not unsympathetic to Iraq. Don’t believe; watch it.”He said U.S. public opinion was turning more pro-Palestinian and U.S. aid to Israel could not be sustained for much longer at its massive levels. He predicted that in 10 or 15 years, “Israel will be like Lebanon — struggling for existence, with [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
The Lebanese scandal that will live longer than Rafiq Hariri is the massive corruption that Rafiq Hariri managed for Solidaire. It was amazing how the law, justice, morality, and ethics were all trampled on for the Hariri family to increase its fortune. Kudos to Ghada `Id for exposing corruption in Lebanon in her New TV’s [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Armed thugs of the Abu Mazen-Dahlan Gang took to the street to shoot at other Palestinians.
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
The Afghan puppet took time from his busy schedule of being sequestered behind American bodyguards: “”He told us not to be worried about the situation, that let’s wait and see, and that we will bring security,” said Hajji Agha Lalai Dastagiri, a member of the newly elected provincial council in Kandahar who was present at [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Today Israel–yes, Israel and you can quote me on that–killed a Lebanese citizen (and his brother) who is a leader of Islamic Jihad. Israel never stopped its assassination in Lebanon, and one should never rule out Israeli involvement in any bombing or killing or mayhem in Lebanon. Will the US protest this particular car bomb [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
If you follow Arab political developments closely, you would have noticed that early on (few months ago), Arab gulf governments indicated that they did not feel any danger or threat from Iran. But when pressured by US, they suddenly felt the danger and the threat. This was like what happened in 2002. If you remember, [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Just as the Mossad invented the prime minister post to give to Abu Mazen when Arafat was alive (according to the account of the former Israeli intelligence chief in his latest book), the Mossad must be behind the idea tossed by Abu Mazen in his speech two days ago: that a referendum should be held [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Bi`id, Bi`id, Wahdina. I have never been a huge fan of Umm Kulthum–I know, I should be ashamed. I find her songs too long, and tedious for me. But due to cultural nostalgia, I have become more appreciative of some of her songs. Take her song Anta `Umri: what a great song this is–a great [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Flash. Flash. Thomas Friedman finds two Arabs that he likes. One is Mithal Allusi: the only Iraqi who publicly (from behind bodyguards) calls for “peace with Israel” and the second is Sa`d Id-Din Ibrahim who is mightily inspired by Bush’s invasion of Iraq. But the incidence with `Allus is misreported: he in fact did not [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Edward Said talked about the nature of”political knowledge” of the Middle East in the West. Look at this grants from Carnegie: look how every single one is about a study of Islam. What about those who want to study non-religious aspects of the Middle East? Who will fund them? Do you see how the agenda [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
…off to San Diego. I shall be at:“MIDDLE EAST CULTURAL DINNER at the First Unitarian Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, 4190 Front St., Hillcrest, 619-243-0827. At 6 p.m. Saturday, May 27, celebrate Middle Eastern culture with featured guests professor Abu Khalil and Iraqi poet and writer Lamea Amara. $10.”
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Gris, Juan, The Pot of Geraniums, 1915. (And no. I am not endorsing Le Figaro).
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
“A military investigation into the deaths of two dozen Iraqis last November is expected to find that a small number of marines in western Iraq carried out extensive, unprovoked killings of civilians, Congressional, military and Pentagon officials said Thursday.” (thanks Maryam)
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
“WASHINGTON played a key role in persuading the AttorneyGeneral that military action against Saddam Hussein in 2003 was lawful, according to an official government disclosure yesterday. An internal note from Tony Blair that Iraq was in breach of a UN Security Council resolution also played a part in the decision to invade. Forced by Richard [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
This is how political discourse gets formulated in Lebanon. Walid Jumblat would make a statement, like today on AlArabiyya, and say: “I was told, but I don’t know if it is true, that Iranian Revolutionary Guards have established bases in Lebanon.” The right-wing interviewer, Gizelle Khuri in this case, asks him: “Will they perpetrate assassinations?”. [...]
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad
Just when it was needed, Near East Consulting released poll results that served Abu Mazen’s agenda. Does anybody know about Near East Consluting group? Who are they?
Posted on May 26, 2006 by As'ad