Archive for July 14, 2009
Colonial friendships
“In recent years, a succession of young political officers from the US consulate in Jerusalem have met with leaders in places ranging from the staid “settlement blocs” near the Green Line – Israel’s pre-1967 border – to isolated ideological sett…
Posted by As'ad at 10:58 AM 07/14/09
Israeli propaganda
“The Arab network’s chief UN correspondent, Khaled Dawoud, has accused the Israeli delegation of discriminatory policies and harassment. The Israeli diplomats, for their part, have accused Dawoud of disruptive behavior and of exploiting press confer…
Posted by As'ad at 10:55 AM 07/14/09
Obama watches AlJazeera
“On the flip side, Obama noted, the Arabic-language satellite channel Al Jazeera frequently airs pictures of him from a trip to Israel, wearing a yarmulke at the Western Wall.”
Posted by As'ad at 10:52 AM 07/14/09
Bush/Taliban
“But as they advance, they are learning uncomfortable facts about their local allies: villagers say the government’s police force was so brutal and corrupt that they welcomed the Taliban as liberators.”
Posted by As'ad at 10:51 AM 07/14/09
Cheap humans
“Obama administration officials said Friday they had no grounds to investigate the 2001 deaths of Taliban prisoners of war who human rights groups allege were killed by U.S.-backed forces.”
Posted by As'ad at 10:50 AM 07/14/09
They don’t want to be bombed?
““They’re getting mid-level people not big fish,” he said. “And they are counterproductive because they are killing civilians and turning locals against our government. We try to win people’s hearts, then one drone attack drives them away….
Posted by As'ad at 10:48 AM 07/14/09
News of the NYT’s favorite coup
“The Honduras coup government has detained Jose David Murillo Sanchez, the father of Ulises Obed Murillo, who died last Sunday at the Toncontin airport when security forces opened fire on Munuel Zelaya supporters gathered to receive the president du…
Posted by As'ad at 10:47 AM 07/14/09
This is Zionism
“A Palestinian youth suffering from a heart condition was reportedly beaten by Border Guard officers in the West Bank village of Hawara, near Nablus, Ynet learn Tuesday.”
Posted by As'ad at 10:46 AM 07/14/09
Potatoes
“”I chose the potato to portray human faces because of the many striking parallels. Not only is their skin porous like ours, but their skin texture and color is very similar, and like us, they come in different sizes, shapes and forms. Potatoes grow…
Posted by As'ad at 10:43 AM 07/14/09
Brothers
“Mr. Kerkhi said the real heroes of the match were the Palestinians, who had agreed to come to Iraq. “All of the other Arab teams don’t play here because they are afraid,” he said. “Only they had the guts.” A Palestinian midfielder, Assad …
Posted by As'ad at 10:38 AM 07/14/09
For their protection
“Afghan villagers had complained to the U.S. Marines for days: The police are the problem, not the Taliban. They steal from villagers and beat them. Days later, the Marines learned firsthand what the villagers meant.”
Posted by As'ad at 10:37 AM 07/14/09
Iowa feels like dancing
“An obscure city ordinance outlaws publicly shaking your groove thing in Iowa’s biggest city after 2 a.m.” (thanks Toufic)
Posted by As'ad at 10:08 AM 07/14/09
Trying to recapture the glory of an empire that does not exist
“British soldiers manipulated the cries of pain of Iraqi prisoners to sound like an “orchestrated choir” and made them dance like Michael Jackson, an inquiry into the death of Baha Mousa has heard.”
Posted by As'ad at 10:04 AM 07/14/09
Don’t mess with Mubarak
“An Egyptian civil servant who wrote a satirical poem about veteran President Hosni Mubarak has been jailed for three years after a colleague turned the villainous verses over to the authorities.” In response, Human Rights Watch called on the “inter…
Posted by As'ad at 9:56 AM 07/14/09
Ahmadinajad and justice
I read that Ahmadinajad has criticized the German system of justice (over the murder of the Egyptian woman in court). Did he voice his criticisms before or after signing orders for mass executions in Iran?
Posted by As'ad at 9:51 AM 07/14/09
Feeling the hate in Israel
Feeling the Hate: the sequel. (thanks Sousan)
Posted by As'ad at 9:50 AM 07/14/09
Oil in Iraq
“Unions are lobbying against Iraq’s new oil contract with BP and China’s CNPC, but the weakened labour movement may have a hard time thwarting deals desperately needed to revive a struggling oil sector. The Federation of Oil Unions of Iraq and the F…
Posted by As'ad at 9:46 AM 07/14/09
At home…in Israel
“A high-ranking white supremacist on the run from US federal authorities was arrested on Monday night in a south Tel Aviv hideout.” I am sure that he never felt more at home. (thanks Emily)
Posted by As'ad at 9:44 AM 07/14/09
Faruq Qaddumi and the Fath Conference
Of course, what you read in foreign language newspapers on the Middle East is often in contrast with what one reads in Arabic newspapers or media. The upcoming Fath conference is the big news and yet it is barely getting any coverage in the Western pr…
Posted by As'ad at 9:41 AM 07/14/09
