Archive for August 19, 2009
My article on Ghada `Id
My article in Al-Akhbar: “Ghada `Id: In the Shadow of Elie Maruni”
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
American news coverage of the Middle East (and its attention to gender issues)
You really can’t say that the American media is ignoring the Middle East: they sometimes have deep and profound coverage of Middle East politics and society. (thanks Fadi)
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
Emir of Kuwait
Emir of Kuwait: who fainted* during an Arab League meeting in 1990 after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait when the Iraqi delegate threw a plate at him, has just issued a warning to the Kuwaiti press: there are red lines, he said. I kid you not. I bet you…
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
Queen Youtube…tweeting
Maryam sent me recent tweets by Queen Youtube. Look how insightful and amusing: “Just had lovely casual lunch with President Sarkozy & Carla at their holiday retreat..Nice to see him so well and relaxed..Such natural surroundings only infuse him…
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
Uranium beverage
“Workers at the nuclear reactor facility in Dimona were made to volunteer to drink uranium in 1998 as part of an experiment, according to a lawsuit filed four months ago in the Be’er Sheva Labor Tribunal by a former worker at the facility.”
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
Doubts
“”I personally doubt if the Americans will pressure Mubarak to improve his regime’s human-rights performance,” Hossam Bahgat, director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights EIPR told The Times.” (thanks Dina)
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
Israeli terrorism
“The information provided by Israel concerning the locations of dropped cluster bombs during the summer 2006 war was useless, according to the head of the Lebanese Demining Center Brigadier Mohammad Fahmi. “What benefit can we get from such inform…
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
Tariq `Aziz’s son
Iraqi refugees in Jordan are mistreated, and the son of Tariq `Aziz (Saddam’s chief propagandist) received Jordanian citizenship. (thanks Sinan)
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
No permission
“In April, Arafat was permitted to travel to Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem where he received three series of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. He was scheduled to return for further treatment, but has not been granted permission…
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
Moroccan lobbying
“By comparison, lobbyists for the government of Morocco had 305 contacts with members of Congress and their staff. Morocco paid $3.4 million in lobbying expenses — putting it among the top foreign government spenders for FARA filings in the period…
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
hanging out with Arabs
“Soldier O., suspected of being involved in the brutal lynch of Leonard (Arik) Karp over the weekend sent a message on Wednesday to young women like herself. “Stop hanging out with Arabs. Don’t get in trouble. Take care of yourselves and be careful,”…
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
No results
“After a last-minute decision to have the president go to Saudi Arabia yielded no tangible results, Mr. Emanuel pushed to ensure that future foreign trips had “deliverables,†or achievements secured in advance.”
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
But…he was critical of Israel
“Mr. Novak grew up Jewish and was in a Jewish fraternity in college, but, like Mr. Evans, he was critical of Israel.” Just read this sentence. It is as dumb as saying that somebody grew up Muslim but is critical of Saudi Arabia. How dumb is that?
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
sectarian politics
“With profound differences over the contours of the national political community, and a political system structured on religious lines, secular or cross-confessional forms of social organization have little if any opportunity to compete effectively….
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
Nepotism and Lebanese politics
Comrade Khaled on the nepotism factor in Lebanese politics.
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
What is happening in Yemen
Comrade Fawwaz gives the most concise and sharp analysis of the Yemen situation, which does not get any US coverage although the US is involved in supplying the weapons with which the government is bombing refugee camps.
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad
LBC Offices in Saudi Arabia
The partly Saudi-owned LBC-TV’s offices were closed down in Saudi Arabia. And no Arab media voice has been raised in support or solidarity with LBC except…the leftist Al-Akhbar newspaper. Hell, even LBC-TV did not say a word about the matter. Such…
Posted on August 19, 2009 by As'ad