Archive for December 21, 2006

“A Saudi Arabian princess accused of breaking U.S. immigration laws by locking up her domestics’ passports and forcing them to work for low pay was ordered to be deported, prosecutors said Thursday.”

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

US Department of State:“QUESTION: Sean, could you reflect on the passing of the Turkmen President and perhaps your hopes for that country after his years of unique rule?MR. MCCORMACK: Well, certainly our condolences go out to the people of Turkmenistan. This is a real period of a real moment of change for them. They have [...]

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

US official: “”We convey our condolences to the family of President Niyazov and to the people of Turkmenistan. We look forward to continuing to expand our relations with Turkmenistan, to a bright future for that country and to a government that provides justice and opportunity for its people.”” (thanks Aliyar)

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

I am sick and tired of the propaganda line “only-in-America.” Just heard Oprah say that what happened to her (rags to riches) “can only happen in America.” No, Oprah. It happens (the exception story that happens to one person while the majority toil away in silence) in every country. It happens in Lebanon, in Somalia, [...]

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

“the ex-Iraqi government minister who is the subject of a nationwide manhunt in Iraq contributed to George W. Bush’s presidential campaigns before and after being appointed by U.S. authorities as Iraq’s minister of electricity.” (thanks Amina)

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

“”I’m personally against seeing my pictures and statues in the streets – but it’s what the people want,” he once said.” (These are not my words–unfortunately).

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

“”I’m personally against seeing my pictures and statues in the streets – but it’s what the people want,” he once said.” (These are not my words–unfortunately).

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

.

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

To hear Mahmud Jami` on Nasser and Nasserism is like hearing J.Edgar Hoover on Communism. Yet, Saudi media (and lately Aljazeera) favor Jami` as the expert on Nasser.

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

Fu’ad Sanyurah has denied this news item about meeting with Israeli officials in Egypt. He said that he had meetings in Beirut on that day. But the Hariri rag, Al-Mustaqbal, had reported that Sanyurah (read the last line) had flown to Egypt for a private visit on that same day. (thanks Hicham)

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

Doha Shams on the Lebanese Minister of Information.

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

Among many things that outrage me is the habit in Western countries to rattle off the names of Israeli victims–and even Israeli victimizers–bombing pilots, massacring generals, etc, and yet those same people in the West can not name one Palestinian victim. You now see people mentioning the names of Israeli occupation soldiers who were captured [...]

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

If Bob Woodward was told to “follow the money” to understand Watergate, I say: watch Syrian-Saudi relations to understand Lebanon today (although I have always been of the opinion that the underlying causes of Lebanese wars and conflicts are internal and indigenous).

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

This is most bizarre (not really). Prince Salman’s newspaper, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsast, brags–in a front page headline: the US will stay for a very long time in the Gulf.

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

The Mufti of Lebanon met the Mufti of Egypt in Cairo yesterday. The Mufti of Egypt congratulated the Mufti of Lebanon for his book burning activities. The Mufti of Lebanon, in turn, congratulated the Mufti of Egypt for his book burning activities. For lunch, they both set a pile of books on fire.

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

Joseph Samahah (at his best): on Arab leaders’ wives, and their mistresses.

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

” The Transportation Security Agency says the federal regulations governing this question are “secret.” In practice, some travelers do fly without identification.” (thanks Tara)

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

Those who read me know how much I detest Gizelle Khuri–a fine representative of obnoxious Lebanonese culture. On her program today, she asked a Hamas official on the plight of `Aziz Duwayk–the speaker of the Palestinian parliament who was kidnapped by Israeli occupation soldiers. He told her that his health is not good. She said: [...]

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

“It’s the economic inequality that has haunted Lebanese Shiites for decades. It’s a poor and working-class people’s revolt.” Muhammad here offers a perspective that you don’t see in the US media–the Nation magazine allows one token good article on the Middle East per year. But there are many other layers to the protests. There is [...]

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad

Maronite Patriarch in Lebanon, Nasrullah Sfayr, met with a women’s delegation from Al-Maradah organization. He reiterated his opposition to the mixing of women and men in protests. He also found time to yet again rail against the Da Vinci Code, which he (and the Lebanese state under his pressure) ordered banned from Lebanon.

Posted on December 21, 2006 by As'ad