Archive for April 25, 2007

“Dancing in the Streets”

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

“You can be certain that Allawi agrees with very little on what Hitchens and Ajami have to say about his book.” (thanks Amer)

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

Features of the “conspiracy”. This is an actual headline from the Saudi newspaper, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat: “Olmert Resorts to the Option of Limited Operations in Gaza.”

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

“The UN yesterday accused the Iraqi government of trying to cover up a rise in civilian casualties from sectarian violence since the troop surge ordered by George Bush earlier this year.”

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

“On March 4 American soldiers ripped cameras from local reporters in Nangarhar and deleted their pictures after a convoy of marines shot at least 10 people and wounded 33 in the aftermath of a suicide attack. A US commander later justified the deletions on the basis that “untrained” Afghans might “capture visual details that are [...]

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

“A resistant tea pot from Marji`yun” (by Sahar Burhan).

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

“”Of course I’ll meet her, if she wants to meet me,” the [Syrian] foreign minister told The Washington Times…”

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

Tomorrow the Syrian government will announce the results of the “parliamentary” elections. I wonder. Who will win? The Syrian people are awaiting the results with a great sense of anticipation.

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

Mr. Bush recently said that the US has been making “modest progress” in Iraq. But for three years since the beginning of the US invasion of Iraq, Mr. Bush stressed that the US has been “making progress.” Is that an indirect admission, that conditions have deteriorated?

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

Hizbullah rarely pays attention–if ever–to issues of socio-economic justice. But then again: Hariri economics in Lebanon passed because Hizbullah did not oppose them.

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

The Israeli state accused `Azmi Bisharah of treason. I personally believe that it is incumbent on every citizen of Israel–if he/she holds high moral standards–to betray the state. If they don’t they are guilty–not the other way round.

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

To former leftist, Lebanese Minister, Tariq Mitri. When you look at the mirror: do you see yourself or do you see Sa`d Hariri? (The same question can be directed at Lebanese minister Charlez Rizq).

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

Iran plans to sell 118 state-owned oil companies. That should please the US.

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

I do believe that despite the abysmal failures of Sawa Radio and Al-Hurra TV, the US has a real host at improving the image of the US among Arab and Muslim opinion. I mean that. This could finally be achieved, recent public opinion among Muslims notwithstanding. I just read that Lebanese miniser, Na’ilah Mu`awwad, who [...]

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

A former student at Brandeis University wrote to me. He said he took a course with Dennis Ross. The curriculum of the course was…his book. (Students had to receive injections of morphine to endure).

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

AlJazeera Arabic just referred to Israeli threats to invade Gaza as “plans for military operations.” I told you. Israeli propaganda themes now prevail in the Arabic press: Palestinian resistance is now portrayed as terrorism, and Israeli terrorism is now portrayed as “military operations.”

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

Call me conspiratorial (please, do. I mean it). But there has been lately a new switch in Saudi funded media toward more favorable coverage of Gun Zionism. I would not be surprised if an Israeli media “expert” helps them out, just as Israel had propaganda experts advising the influential Phalangist Voice of Lebanon radio during [...]

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

thanks Hadjar. (Click to enlarge NOW).

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

I taped the show on AlJazeera English early this morning. It will air on May 1st. The other guests were Scott Ritter, neo-con Joshua Muravchik, Alberto Fernadez, and Michael Issikoff of Newsweek. It was hosted by Jasim `Azzawi. Muravchik called me a “good demagogue.”

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad

This is the place in Chicago (on Clark) where you can find the best falafil in the US. I managed to take this picture while obscuring the obnoxious cedar.

Posted on April 25, 2007 by As'ad