Archive for March 4, 2008
From 1966: Jamal `Abdun-Nasser on Saudi funding of reactionary Islam.
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
Glad that the WP noticed. “China’s reported $59 billion budget is still a fraction of what the United States spends each year on its armed forces. President Bush last month requested $515 billion to fund the Pentagon in fiscal 2009, a 7.5 percent increase, plus $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
“Still, it struck reporters traveling with Rice as odd that the State Department had declined to comment on Vanity Fair’s findings. Was that an implicit acknowledgement that it was correct? There was only one solution: We had to ask Rice about it when she held a news conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit.Rice, [...]
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
““Don’t forget that Umm al-Fahm is the underground name for Palestine,” Mayor Sheikh Hashem Abd al-Rahman told the thousands of demonstrators who gathered at one of the city’s soccer fields Tuesday to protest against the” Israeli war on Gaza.”
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
“The Lebanese Republic is a small, mostly mountainous country in the Western Asia, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Palestine to the south.” (thanks Nouri)
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
“This weekend Obama was successful in landing the support of Daniel Kurtzer, a former ambassador to Israel, who is considered to be a leading expert on the region and a strong backer of Israel.”
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
She was 20-days old. Amirah Abu `Asr was killed by Israeli occupation troops yesterday. They accused her of launching missiles at Israel. (AFP)
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
This is a good critical evaluation of Al-Arabiya TV on its fifth anniversary. (No, I was not invited to the celebration party in Dubai, rumors to the contrary notwithstanding).
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
Rice: “Now, as to a Vanity Fair article that I have not read, I’m not going to comment on the article. I will say the following: The United States has been very clear about its desire to help in an international effort to improve the security capabilities of the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority is [...]
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
UAE’s ambassador in Lebanon explains the political system in UAE: it is “direct democracy.” I kid you not.
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
The pioneer in Lebanese press obedience to House of Saud, Samir `Atallah, pays tribute to Gulf’s contributions to migrant Asian workers. I kid you not.
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
Saudi king today received Amin Gemayyel. Discussion was about democracy and human rights. Saudi TV said that Prince Muqrin (chief of foreign intelligence) was present.
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
“Muhammad Dahlan, the former Fatah security commander in the Gaza Strip, is working to oust Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the veteran leadership of the ruling party, an Abbas aide told The Jerusalem Post.”
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
From the poem Awaiting the Bird of Thunder by Palestinian poet Samih Al-Qasim (my translation): “And it happens that he comeshe comes with the suna face distorted in the dustof school curriculaand it happens that he comesafter the suicide ofdrought in my voicesomething…its splendoris limitlesssomething called in songs:the bird of thunder!He must comewe have reached [...]
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
I often criticize AlJazeera Arabic TV (and will continue to do so) but their coverage of the carnage in Gaza has been excellent, especially if you compare it with the (lack of) coverage of Al-Arabiya TV.PS AlJazeera now allows viewers to leave video comments on its site. The first comment that it aired was one [...]
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
A reporter in Ramallah sent me this: “Elliot Abrams was one of the people in Rice’s entourage atthe Muqata’a today, along with David Welch, as well as Lt. General Dayton(in a suit) and Lt. Gen Fraser (in an Air Force uniform)…”
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
““In the case of Al Hurra, it’s an American perspective,†he said. “In the case of France 24, it’s a French perspective. In the case of BBC Arabic Television, it’s an international perspective.— (Just as in the case of Fox News, it’s the “fair and balanced” perspective.)PS I gave my first interview to the BBC [...]
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
I swear to you that sometimes New York Times’ headlines remind me of the press in North Korea. Look at this headline: “Joint Chiefs Chairman Asks Pakistanis What They Need.” What they need? They need peace, food, and clean water. What are you offering?
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
Another victory in the US war on terrorism: a terrorist donkey was killed. “American naval forces fired missiles into southern Somalia on Monday, aiming at what the Defense Department called terrorist targets. Residents reached by telephone said that three civilians were wounded, and that the only other casualties were three dead cows, one dead donkey [...]
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad
Saudi king dismissed Saudi Minister of Trade and Industry. He said that he did not reach his allotted quota of bribery and embezzlement.
Posted on March 4, 2008 by As'ad