Archive for November 14, 2007

In the racist Lebanese newspapers of An-Nahar and Al-Mustaqbal, if a criminal happens to be a Syrian or a Palestinian, the headline is always “A Syrian” did this or that. (I am sure that many of them are probably framed by Hariri police).

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

Lebanese media. Al-Akhbar, to its credit, put a story on the Human Rights Watch’s report on Sri Lankan maids on its cover page. Al-Mustaqbal put it on page 7, and An-Nahar put it on page 17. As-Safir wrote an extensive article on it.

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

“Where Students Can’t Hug” (Not in Saudi Arabia) (thanks Karim)

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

I was re-reading it recently. Hisham Sharabi’s Neopatriarchy is simply The Arab Mind…with footnotes.

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

A Saudi court has sentenced a Saudi girl to prison and 90 lashes because she was kidnapped and raped. It found that she was inappropriately present with a man. (thanks Arab)

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

My friend Amer today observed to me that Hamas combines the worst mix of elements. It has the military performance of Jaysh Al-Mahdi and the political (lack of) skills of Hizbullah.

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

The Middle East military balance of power has been drastically altered. The Lebanese Army has just received 30 used Humvees from the US government.

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

ADC and CAIR just issued a joint communique. They have heard that a Muslim Arab in Toledo, Ohio has shop lifted a potato. They both want to make it clear that they both strongly and vehemently condemn the man, and call on the FBI to investigate and interrogate, and on the court system to prosecute [...]

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

Why you can’t rely on the New York Times. “Sheikh Muhammed Hussein Fadlallah, the spiritual leader of Hezbollah.” This claims has been circulating for years, and it started in writing by Israeli “experts.” Even in the 1980s, when it was a common claim, it was not true. I asked Fadlallah then about the charge, and [...]

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

“Iraqis fleeing violence in their homeland are increasingly detained in Lebanon and jailed alongside “common criminals,” a U.S. refugee protection group said Monday.”

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

“Aunt Benazir’s False Promises”

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

Let me guess. Kristen Gillespie, writing in the Nation magazine–the last place you turn to to learn about the Middle East, does not know Arabic which explains why she relies on US officials and Jordanian officials–without mentioning the history and reasons for Qatari-Jordanian conflict over AlJazeera– to evaluate AlJazeera TV’s coverage. Now, don’t get me [...]

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

“”I am not a dictator, I want a democracy.”

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

“Federal agents investigating the Sept. 16 episode in which Blackwater security personnel shot and killed 17 Iraqi civilians have found that at least 14 of the shootings were unjustified and violated deadly-force rules in effect for security contractors in Iraq, according to civilian and military officials briefed on the case.”

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

“Women still tend to be timid about negotiating salaries and raises. Men ask for more money at eight times the rate of women. Victoria Brescoll, a Yale researcher, found that men who get angry at the office gain stature and clout, even as women who get angry lose stature because they are seen as out [...]

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

“Later I asked a major at Prosperity why it was necessary to physically compromise these young men – one of them injured – who had not been found guilty of any crime.”

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad

“Sri Lankan domestic workers face serious abuses, including violence, harassment and exploitation when they migrate to work in the Middle East, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Human Rights Watch said the governments of Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should do more to protect women from [...]

Posted on November 14, 2007 by As'ad