Archive for July 4, 2007
I can’t be happier about the release of Alan Johnston, the wonderful reporter. But can we remember that there are still more than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails?
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
“Israel, France to hold annual meetings on strategic issues”.
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
“To my surprise, the piece was generally received as a successful debunking of Hersh. I was baffled. Wasn’t anyone paying attention? The piece was obviously a joke. In an essay about a reporter’s poor sourcing and thin evidence, what was Sivan’s sourcing and evidence? “Sharp-eyed reporters in Beirut read the article in astonishment”; and… that’s [...]
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
An interesting article by Sami Kulayb on Nasserism in Egypt.
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
This is from a right-wing sectarian demonstration in Rome yesterday. The third flag is that of the Lebanese Forces (the fascist militia of the civil war years). (thanks As`ad–not me).
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
This is some architectural information on the Faisal mosque in Islamabad. (thanks Hassan)
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
Yesterday, I wanted to go to bed early as I am still suffering from the flu (or cold, I can never tell the difference). As I took some of the local version of Nitequil (in fact, it is so strong and potent that it is probably illegal in some countries), I spotted near the curtain [...]
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
On the “crime of visiting Damascus” by Talal Salman.
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
Dahlan, O Dahlan. “Before Hamas took over Gaza in June, he said, the kidnappers were “cruising along, with no worries.†But after the takeover, “the guards were suddenly worried,†he said, and the whole atmosphere changed.” (thanks Jamal)
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
Class analysis. Regarding the standoff at the Lal mosque here in Islamabad. The government just realized that some of the students holed inside have no homes to go if they were to surrender. It promised to provide them with shelter if they were to leave. But why did the government not think about providing shelter [...]
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
I have been watching the press conference of BBC reporter, Alan Johnston. What a great man. He comes across as somebody who has genuine love and admiration for the Palestinian people. Only criminal gangs of Dahlan (or ones like them) could inflict harm on somebody like him.
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
Amusing. The driver who is assigned to me does not speak English. But during the rides, he converses with me in Punjabi. Of course, I don’t understand a word and it shows, but he continues to talk to me in Punjabi. He sometimes thinks that if he speaks slowly, I must be able to understand. [...]
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
“Pakistan’s Military-Corporate Empire” (thanks Muhammad)
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
“The situation among tribes is far more complex, the paper said. US aid has made certain tribes (namely those associated with the US and the government) extremely powerful, and has given them quasi-control over large areas in Anbar and elsewhere. As a result, tribal competition and enmities are flaring. A rivalry has emerged between Sheikh [...]
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
I asked my hosts and they did not know the answer. Does anybody know where the street that was named after the great German Orientalist, Annemarie Schimmel, is in Pakistan?
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
“However only 61% said Jews and Arabs should be treated equally with regard to budget allocations.”
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
“Tobacco giants ‘targeted African children to boost flagging profits’”
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
“The attorneys ofMuhammad Mukbal, a Palestinian land owner who had 300 olive trees uprooted by settlers from his property in the West Bank and replanted in the outpost Adei Ad several weeks ago, said that Israeli security forces may have been involved in the uprooting of his trees.”
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
Dawn TV never interviews poor people on the streets of Pakistan. They uniformly prefer to interview middle and upper class people for “the view from the street.”
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad
I met a colleague from South Africa who knew Joe Slovo. He told me that he was one of those people who are great from a distance, as they are in person, in private.
Posted on July 4, 2007 by As'ad