Archive for March 6, 2007
Israeli tears for Fath: ““I’m not optimistic about Fatah,†Mr. Diskin said. “Fatah is disintegrated and nearly destroyed, with no strong leadership.— And notice how an Israeli propagandist can summon the Western press, and his words can become the contents of an article on a quarter of a page of the New York Times. I [...]
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
Well, at least some good news from Afghanistan: “U.N. Forsees Afghan Poppy Harvest Boom.”
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
Mr. Bush “Cites ‘Encouraging Signs’ From New Iraq Plan”
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
“Amnesty International yesterday demanded the swift and unconditional release of 33 prominent Iranian female activists arrested last weekend and jailed in Tehran’s notorious high-security Evin prison. The women were arrested after peacefully protesting the trial of five other activists and grass-roots organizers against discrimination in the legal system.”
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
“IRAQ: Palestinians say gov’t cannot protect them”. How can the government protect them when the sectarian Shi`ite government of Maliki, and its death squads of Badr, are responsible for terrorizing the Palestinians in Iraq? (thanks Amer)
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
“A solid majority of Americans (58 percent) say their sympathies lie with the Israelis and only 20 percent say their sympathies are more with the Palestinians”, according to a new Gallup poll.”
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
“We do not issue these reports because we think ourselves perfect”. What? Not perfect? Who are you kidding? Personally, I see you, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the rest as nothing short of perfect. Stop this modesty business NOW.
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
Syrian tyranny charged Syrian dissident, Michel Kilu, with another crime. This time he is accused of asking other prisoners of signing a petition. In other news, judges in Syria yelled: With Blood, With Spirit, we sacrifice ourselves for you, o Bashshar.
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
Latest on Hurra TV. Well, the wife of the former director of Hurra, Yula* Yaqoubian, resigned from the station. Hiyam Abu Shadid no longer works there. But the station will undergo some changes: it will now feature live press conferences for Barry Manilow. That is expected to increase viewership. I argue that the additional 20,000 [...]
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
By the way, let us not allow Fath supporters, and the famously unprincipled Yasir `Abd Rabbuh, who has never met a Westerner without trying to impress him, to get too sanctimonious about Hamas’ ban of a book (see below)–although we should maintain our criticisms of Hamas for this and for more. But we should remember [...]
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
I see that Robert Fisk wrote a blurb for one of the most hagiographic and propagandistic accounts of Rafiq Hariri by right-wing, Marwan Iskandar.
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
A Filipino maid was found dead at the home of her employer in Lebanon. According to the “official”account of Lebanese police, she died from suffocation from a coal heater, which was found next to her body in the bathroom. Her employers were in the house, but claimed that they did not see her move the [...]
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
Ba`thist standards. The union of Syrian artists has moved to follow Ba`thist standards by expelling those members who have failed to fulfill the duties of membership. As is well known, all unions in Syria require members to chant (at least once a day): With Spirit; With Blood; we sacrifice ourselves for yo, o Bashshar.
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
Grand (not at all) Ayatullah Khamenei planting a potato tree in Tehran.
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
“The aim of this web site is to provide all possible information about…”
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
“Palestinian Mural Hits Brick Wall” (thanks Yasmine) Personally (and for pure artistic reasons), I don’t like the mural design. In fact, it is a mess. And what is this dabkah thing?
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
By reading the dispatches of Hassan Fattah from the Middle East, I was able to learn that hugging and embracing is a sign of affection in Muslim culture. Look at those two, for example.
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
“Hésitations dans la politique de la France” (thanks Fadi)
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
On January 25th, a Lebanese man was killed allegedly by a militia man loyal to Walid Jumblat. There were witnesses who saw the man pull the trigger. (Does that not remind you of Bob Dylan’s song, Hurricane?) Today the Lebanese government of Sanyurah (or Sonororara, as Mr. Bush pronounces it) announced that the the killer [...]
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad
Jimmy Carter and his Lousy Book on Palestine. Have people (who praise Jimmy Carter) actually read his book? I am reviewing it for an academic journal, and it is ridiculous–in errors and presentation. This is what he said about the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982: “In response to terrorists attacks across Lebanon’s border, Israeli [...]
Posted on March 6, 2007 by As'ad