Archive for November 15, 2008

This picture is taken from the New TV news report yesterday. It is making the rounds on Arabic websites and causing quite a stir. Of course, people should drink (and drive) and consume crack cocaine if they wish. But the irony is that: if a poor Pakistani or Indian is caught with a drink in [...]

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

A reader in Damascus sent me this: “Just wanted to tell you that I can view your blog from Damascus, Syria again without the need for false proxy software. It’s been steady for a couple of weeks now. “

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

“The U.S. military will seek to buy as many as 10,000 all-terrain, blast-proof trucks in an “urgent” competition to supply vehicles to protect troops in Afghanistan.”

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

New TV aired a tape of Bush toasting King `Abdullah in Washington and wondered if the Saudi religious police saw that.

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

Dubai Miracle. I received this note: “Do you know how time is kept for horse stamina races? There is something fishy here. Only you (and your readers, I stand corrected) will fully appreciate the irony in this. If you quote it, please remove my name. Sheikh Mo Bin Rashed won the race thrown by his [...]

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

Saudi King–interfaithing. (thanks Emily)

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

Wealth and tax in Lebanon.

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

The secret police (or the private state-named, Hariri militia) of Lebanon. (thanks Raed)

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

“President-elect Barack Obama is unlikely to radically overhaul controversial Bush administration intelligence policies, advisers say, an approach that is almost certain to create tension within the Democratic Party.”

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

“And falsely shouting “socialism!” in a crowded theater such as Washington causes an epidemic of yawning. This is the only major industrial society that has never had a large socialist party ideologically, meaning candidly, committed to redistribution of wealth. This is partly because Americans are an aspirational, not an envious, people. It is also because [...]

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

“A company that is a member of the UN Global Compact for corporate social responsibility has ties to production in an Israeli settlement on the West Bank considered illegal by the United Nations.”

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

Za`tar and U.S. National Security. Yesterday, as I was going through security at Seattle airport, I was asked about some “strange” item in my bag. I did not know what they were referring to. So they removed the bag, and started a thorough search, item-by-item. Until they found that jar of Aleppo Za`tar that a [...]

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

“Students in two of Chicago’s west suburban high school districts won’t get a chance to study Arabic next year, despite interest from local families.”

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

“Egypt has drawn up a blacklist of 26 firms in Saudi Arabia that allegedly abuse its workers, of whom nearly a million work in the conservative Gulf kingdom, press reports said on Friday. The reports come a day after Cairo barred doctors from taking up jobs in Saudi Arabia after an Egyptian medic was sentenced [...]

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

“The Israeli blockade of Gaza has led to a steady rise in chronic malnutrition among the 1.5 million people living in the strip, according to a leaked report from the Red Cross.” (thanks Marcy)

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

“To this day, Vietnamese civilians in the Mekong Delta recall the horrors of Operation Speedy Express and the countless civilians killed to drive up body count. Army records indicate that no Ninth Infantry Division troops, let alone commanders, were ever court-martialed for killing civilians during the operation.” (thanks Laleh)

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

“Lebanese majority leader Saad Hariri said that it was “intolerant” for some Lebanese leaders to criticize Saudi Arabia’s support for Lebanon, local Naharnet website reported Saturday.” (thanks Olivia)

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad

I have written before about James Zogby. I have written before about the Muslim and Arab American organizations in DC: how they have become fronts for the polygamous ruling dynasties of the Gulf and/or for Muhammad Dahlan. This is why when I travel around the US, I never meet Arab Americans who feel that those [...]

Posted on November 15, 2008 by As'ad