Archive for December 18, 2006

Saudi Minister of Interior, Prince Nayif, on Saudi prisoners in Guantanamo: “We sympathized with them a lot.” That I believe.

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Iranian adventurism in Iraq versus American professionalism in Iraq: “Number two, the Saudis are rightfully and rightly concerned about the adventurism of Iranians in Iraq.”

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

“The escalating tension between Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the current Saudi National Security Advisor and former Saudi Ambassador to the United States, and Prince Turki al-Faisal, who only this this week resigned his position as Saudi Ambassador in Washington, is taking some new and disturbing turns.” (thanks Mounzer)

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Your guide to the Green Zone? No, your guide to Congress’s Middle East expertise. A hill staffer wrote this guide to the Green Zone. I don’t know who he is but he tries to pass as some expert on the Middle East: “It is named after the al-KindÄ« District through which it runs, which was [...]

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

“52 new species discovered on Borneo Island: Over 400 species have been newly identified on the island since 1996″ (Bush is not one of them; his specie is yet to be determined.)

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Full text. Pentagon’s report on Iraq. (thanks Mounzer)

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Feminist discourse. “Good morning. I’m Laura Bush, and I’m delivering this week’s radio address to kick off a world-wide effort to focus on the brutality against women and children by the al-Qaida terrorist network and the regime it supports in Afghanistan, the Taliban.” (thanks Fatima)

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Share my pain. This is what I read in the Arabic press. “BAHRIAIN BOASTS OF RATIONAL FOREIGN POLICIES: BAHRAIN FOREIGN POLICY WITNESSED DURING THE YEAR 2006 VIGOROUS AND TANGIBLE ACTIVITIES ON THE GCC, ARAB AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS. AL ACTIVITIES STEMMED FROM THE FUNDAMENTALS AND STEADY STANCES ADOPTED BY THE KINGDOM AND ITS WISE LEADERSHIP AND [...]

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Dahlan’s lobbyist in Washington, DC speaks to the Palestinian refugees: “They also must come to terms with the reality of Israel and with the fact that while refugees have rights that must be fully redressed – national rights, individual rights, property rights and even the right to an apology – 4 or 5 million Palestinian [...]

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Threats of war in Somalia…and Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Where is Zarqawi when Bush’s propaganda needs him: “Violence in Iraq rose across the board this fall to the highest levels on record, fueled by the growth of Shiite militia that have replaced al-Qaeda as the most dangerous force propelling the nation toward civil war, according to a new Pentagon report released this afternoon.”

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

“Marijuana is now the biggest cash crop grown in the US, exceeding traditional harvests such as wheat, corn and soy beans, says a new report.” So why does the US force poor countries to stop cultivating hashish and opium then? And poor countries mostly cultivate opium and hashish to contribute to the pleasure and gratification [...]

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

“The US launched an investigation yesterday after a former Iraqi minister was reported to have escaped from jail in Baghdad with the help of plainclothes Americans.”

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Bolster the militias…for peace in the Middle East. “Tony Blair yesterday proposed a controversial plan to bolster Mahmoud Abbas in his escalating battle against Hamas by funnelling millions of pounds in aid directly to security forces under the Palestinian leader’s control.”

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

The relationship between Western leaders and Israeli leaders is well beyond diplomatic niceties.

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

The Saudi king today thanked God because he “blessed us with an increase” in the Saudi budget.

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

Emily speaks to Al-Akhbar.

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

I still can’t believe that Robert Fisk (not his driver Abed) referred to the “eloquence” of Walid Jumblat*. I mean, in a career that spanned more than 30 years, his most famous speech is the one he gave a year ago in Beirut that said: “We want revenge. We want revenge. From Lahhud and from [...]

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

“Johnson asked McNamara about the defense budget and supply shortages. McNamara told him there were shortages of a “new rifle” called the M-16, and shortages of some ammunition and rounds used to illuminate areas for night fighting. But McNamara said there were plenty of bombs — 265,000 tons of them, either in Southeast Asia or [...]

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad

I today saw Sen. John Kerry speaking in Beirut. I did not enjoy Sen. Kerry when he spoke in the US, and I enjoyed him even less in Lebanon. The Lebanese Minister of Defense, who during the war said that the Lebanese Army will teach the Israeli army “a lesson” if it entered Lebanese territory, [...]

Posted on December 18, 2006 by As'ad