Archive for October, 2009
Michael Onfrey: a correction
Emilie sent me this: “One important correction on the quotes that I’ve just realized: the quotes I thought came from Onfray’s preface (the ones from the link:) are actually the back cover summary of the book by the editor. Sorry about my misreadin…
Posted by As'ad at 9:48 AM 10/31/09
American liberals: when they feign disgust
“AT THE height of the French-Algerian War, good American liberals were appalled and disgusted by revelations of torture by the French army. The pack was led by then-Senator John F. Kennedy, who called for every kind of sanction against France. In th…
Posted by As'ad at 9:41 AM 10/31/09
An Arab who insists on traveling with a concealed knife
He was asked if he was carrying any sharp objects or weapons, and he said no. And he smiled too. (thanks Noura–his wife)
Posted by As'ad at 9:39 AM 10/31/09
Legal analysis of Israeli war crimes
“On December 27, 2008, Israel launched a 22-day military offensive against Gaza called “Operation Cast Lead.”1 Israeli forces killed some 1,300 Palestinians, including 280 children, and injured approximately 4,300 others, including 1,100 children.2…
Posted by As'ad at 9:28 AM 10/31/09
Like Bush, Obama winning hearts and minds and feet
“Recently, while Pakistan’s government may have been saying the things that the White House wants to hear, the country’s media and public have often been openly hostile towards the United States.”
Posted by As'ad at 9:27 AM 10/31/09
Allies in torture
“Former Brit ambsdr Craig Murray says UK and USA sent prisoners to Uzbek to be tortured”
Posted by As'ad at 9:04 AM 10/31/09
Supreme criticisms of the Supreme leader
“According to the reports, a student from Sharif University, named by some websites as Mahmud Vahidnia, criticized the Iranian leader, state broadcast media, the postelection crackdown, and the closure of the reformist press — for a whole 20 minute…
Posted by As'ad at 9:01 AM 10/31/09
Turkey and Israel
“Turkish officials respond that they have no intention of breaking off relations with Israel, and think they can still be a useful interlocutor with the Jewish state.” (thanks Khelil)
Posted by As'ad at 8:58 AM 10/31/09
That thing called honor: from Hegel to now
“It is crucial, therefore, that we do not fall into the trap of seeing honour killing, for all its horrific nature, or rather because of it, as the expression of an alien culture, religion or tradition that has no resonance in the West. For that rea…
Posted by As'ad at 8:37 AM 10/31/09
Robert Fisk against Western news agencies
Robert Fisk here attacks Western news agencies. Some of the criticisms may be valid. Now, I am not one to defend Western news agencies, but some of the Western news agencies’ reporters do a much better job than Robert Fisk. I take Andrew Hammond of …
Posted by As'ad at 8:09 AM 10/31/09
This is quite touching:
Walid Jumblat praises his friend, Robert Fisk. Warning: it may bring tears to your yes and ears.
Posted by As'ad at 8:04 AM 10/31/09
Those Palestinians
“No more tears: A bagged Palestinian protester throws a tear gas canister back at Israeli soldiers during a demonstration against Israel’s separation barrier in Bilin, West Bank.” (AP)
Posted by As'ad at 7:59 AM 10/31/09
4524 Palestinians arrested since the beginning of 2009
Since the beginning of the year, Israeli occupation soldiers have arrested 4524 Palestinians. 4524 more reasons why Israeli is doomed in our region.
Posted by As'ad at 7:57 AM 10/31/09
Capitalism cliches
“Bolstering these cases with brief studies on Egypt and Pakistan, Nasr suggests that where capitalism flourishes, so, too, do tolerance and moderation.” I mean, notions like that need to be substantiated and not repeated like cliches. It can be easi…
Posted by As'ad at 7:50 AM 10/31/09
Obama’s surge
“More than 1,000 American troops have been wounded in battle over the past three months in Afghanistan, accounting for one-fourth of those injured in combat since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.” (thanks Dina)
Posted by As'ad at 7:48 AM 10/31/09
Samir `Atallah
I had a long dream of me having long and amicable conversations with Lebanese journalist, Samir `Atallah, who excels in writing tributes to princes of the House of Saud. I mean, he is the epitome of the corruption of the Lebanese press, and yet he vis…
Posted by As'ad at 7:46 AM 10/31/09
Mustafa Barghuti
I received tons of emails from people protesting my post about Barghuti’s appearance on the Daily Show. They were outraged that I described his interruption of the other guest, Anna, as “sexist”. I am here to express my views and my impression, and n…
Posted by As'ad at 7:40 AM 10/31/09
Asked why: a belligerent leader of a faction of a group of another
“Asked why Mr. Abdullah had not been charged with terrorism, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Terrence Berg, said, “The charges speak for themselves.”” But it was later explained: “A 43-page criminal complaint desc…
Posted by As'ad at 7:40 AM 10/31/09
Our secrets and their archives
My weekly article in Al-Akhbar: “Our Secrets and Their Archives: Looking for Lebanon in the American [Archival] Collection”
Posted by As'ad at 4:09 PM 10/30/09
Dictatorships that you like
“The press is mute. Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based watchdog, ranks Tunisia’s press as one of the world’s least free. Many journalists who cheek Mr Ben Ali or his regime have been beaten, imprisoned, sued or intimidated. Naziha Rejiba, …
Posted by As'ad at 8:18 AM 10/30/09
Congratulations
I am sure that you are proud. One of your favorite dictators, Zayn Al-`Abidin bin `Ali of Tunisia, won himself yet another term with 89.61 % of the “vote.”
Posted by As'ad at 8:15 AM 10/30/09
Look at this headline in Prince Salman’s mouthpiece
This is the headline in Prince Salman’s mouthpiece, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat: “Bush is funny and tells jokes, and stresses his faith in God.”
Posted by As'ad at 8:12 AM 10/30/09
Israel: disgrace unto the nations
“A Palestinian student has been handcuffed, blindfolded and forcibly expelled to the Gaza Strip by Israeli troops just two months before she was due to graduate from university.” (thanks Suad)
Posted by As'ad at 8:06 AM 10/30/09
Why is he a leader?
Look at this inflammatory headline: “F.B.I. Raid Kills Islamic Group Leader in Michigan.” If he were Jewish or Christian, his religion would not have been relevant. He is a small town crook. Leader? Of what and of whom? Who among the Muslims in th…
Posted by As'ad at 7:42 AM 10/30/09
Foreign workers in Israel
“Migrant workers in Israel’s agriculture sector are among the most exploited, according to a 28 October report by Kav LaOved, an Israeli NGO campaigning for the rights of disadvantaged workers in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. N…
Posted by As'ad at 7:37 AM 10/30/09
All that you have done to our people is registered in notebooks
“By year end 1,000 Palestinians will find themselves homeless. The Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights released information detailing the demolition orders of 150 homes in 12 Jerusalem neighborhoods. This number excludes 125 apartments p…
Posted by As'ad at 7:34 AM 10/30/09
Coup Plot in Turkey?
“According to a letter written by the military officer who turned these documents in to prosecutors, the report, titled Information support work prepared by the junta, was only one of the many documents prepared by “the Information Support Departm…
Posted by As'ad at 7:32 AM 10/30/09
Judith Miller: still searching for Iraqi WMDs
“Bizarrely, Miller found hope in an official of the Saudi Interior Ministry — an institution which tortures, executes, and holds people without charges or trial — an official of the state which supports the very ideologies that lead to al Qaeda, t…
Posted by As'ad at 7:30 AM 10/30/09
Lies of Zionism–exposed
“We found no evidence that Hamas used civilians as hostages. I had expected to find such evidence but did not. We also found no evidence that mosques were used to store munitions. Those charges reflect Western perceptions in some quarters that Islam is…
Posted by As'ad at 7:28 AM 10/30/09
Karl Marx in Algeria
This is an interesting account of that trip. Whean in his biography glosses over the trip for some reason. It seems that comrade Marx was scared of us, Arabs. (thanks Moses)
Posted by As'ad at 7:26 AM 10/30/09
This is Zionism
Israeli occupation soldiers are trying to destroy her crops. (AFP)
Posted by As'ad at 7:21 AM 10/30/09
Anna Baltzer on the Daily Show
Anna (who appeared with Mustafa Barghuti on the Daily Show) circulated a message about her appearance. I am citing from it (with her permission): “Last night Dr. Barghouti and I were on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart talking about Palestine. The sh…
Posted by As'ad at 7:18 AM 10/30/09
Are they fit for self-government?
““A change of policy by turning the islands over to the coterie of Tagalog politicians will blight their fair prospects of enormous improvement, drive out capital, make life and property –secular andreligious- most insecure, banish by fear of cr…
Posted by As'ad at 7:15 AM 10/30/09
Saddam’s Memoirs: for those who ran out of sleeping pills
So the not-very-credible lawyer of Saddam, Khalil Dulaymi, has released through a Sudanese publisher what he says are the memoirs of Saddam. Saddam’s daughter’s Raghd, is now endorsing the publication. The account here, sounds like Saddam: full of br…
Posted by As'ad at 7:12 AM 10/30/09
Katib Yasin
Anniversary of his death.
Posted by As'ad at 7:10 AM 10/30/09
Global Gender Gap Index and world tanking: where is the US?
Here is the rank. “Iceland (1) has claimed the top spot of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2009 from Norway (3) which slipped to third position behind Finland (2). Sweden (4) Completed the Nordic countries’ continued dominan…
Posted by As'ad at 7:05 AM 10/30/09
Why?
I posted this yesterday on Facebook/Twitter and thought that i should post here too: “A friend observed that my personality on the blog is different from my personality on Twitter/Facebook.”
Posted by As'ad at 7:04 AM 10/30/09
Prince Sultan’s Health
This is an official word: Prince Khalid bin Sultan spoke about the health of Prince Sultan and said that he shall return to the Kingdom in two months. He said that “the health of Prince Sultan bin `Abdul-`Aziz, the crown prince, is in its best level …
Posted by As'ad at 7:00 AM 10/30/09
Luttwack
Luttwack has lousy politics but can be interesting sometimes. But notice how he assumes that the enemy is Islam and Muslims: “VI. Subversion is the cheapest path to victory. So cheap, in fact, as compared with the costs and risks of battle, that it m…
Posted by As'ad at 6:59 AM 10/30/09
Response to my criticisms
Sa`dallah Mazra`ani, assistant secretary-general of the Lebanese Communist Party, responds to my criticisms of Karim Muruwwah and of the LCP. (thanks As`ad–not me)
Posted by As'ad at 6:57 AM 10/30/09
Get the ambulance: Isabel Kershner is shocked. She discovered that Arab women can play sports
“The Palestinians were playing the Jordanians. But more significant was that the women’s teams were playing…” No way. Are you sure? What if they are men disguised as women? I read that Arab women don’t leave their houses. Check again. Ask one of…
Posted by As'ad at 8:52 AM 10/29/09
Get the ambulance: Isabel Kershner is shocked. She discovered that Arab women can play sports
“The Palestinians were playing the Jordanians. But more significant was that the women’s teams were playing…” No way. Are you sure? What if they are men disguised as women? I read that Arab women don’t leave their houses. Check again. Ask one of…
Posted by As'ad at 8:52 AM 10/29/09
Animals (like “inferior races”) don’t have rights in Israel (but PETA will not say a word)
“”The proposed law is based on the unacceptable premise that animals have rights,” Religious Services Minister Yaakov Margi (Shas) told the Knesset.”
Posted by As'ad at 8:49 AM 10/29/09
Animals (like “inferior races”) don’t have rights in Israel (but PETA will not say a word)
“”The proposed law is based on the unacceptable premise that animals have rights,” Religious Services Minister Yaakov Margi (Shas) told the Knesset.”
Posted by As'ad at 8:49 AM 10/29/09
A digrace unto the nations
“About 30,000 migrant workers hired by farms in Israel pay thousands of dollars to middlemen for their jobs but earn less than the minimum wage and are cheated out of overtime, according to an Israeli rights group report. The rights group Kav LaOve…
Posted by As'ad at 8:47 AM 10/29/09
A digrace unto the nations
“About 30,000 migrant workers hired by farms in Israel pay thousands of dollars to middlemen for their jobs but earn less than the minimum wage and are cheated out of overtime, according to an Israeli rights group report. The rights group Kav LaOve…
Posted by As'ad at 8:47 AM 10/29/09
American balance
“The State of Israel discriminates against non-Orthodox streams of Judaism and against Jewish-born believers in Christianity, while the Palestinian Authority has not been doing enough to combat Muslim violence against Christians, according to the US…
Posted by As'ad at 8:45 AM 10/29/09
American balance
“The State of Israel discriminates against non-Orthodox streams of Judaism and against Jewish-born believers in Christianity, while the Palestinian Authority has not been doing enough to combat Muslim violence against Christians, according to the US…
Posted by As'ad at 8:45 AM 10/29/09
This is Zionism
“Israel is denying Palestinians access to even the basic minimum of clean, safe water, Amnesty International says.” (thanks Tarek)
Posted by As'ad at 8:38 AM 10/29/09
This is Zionism
“Israel is denying Palestinians access to even the basic minimum of clean, safe water, Amnesty International says.” (thanks Tarek)
Posted by As'ad at 8:38 AM 10/29/09
Et Tu Brian Whitaker?
I have praised the reporting of Brian Whitaker: his expose on MEMRI and his critique of UNDP are classic journalism on the Middle East. But is this like the case of W.M. Watt? Watt spent his career being sensitive to Muslims and then very late in his…
Posted by As'ad at 8:19 AM 10/29/09
Et Tu Brian Whitaker?
I have praised the reporting of Brian Whitaker: his expose on MEMRI and his critique of UNDP are classic journalism on the Middle East. But is this like the case of W.M. Watt? Watt spent his career being sensitive to Muslims and then very late in his…
Posted by As'ad at 8:19 AM 10/29/09
Religion plus another factor
“Another allows agents to use ethnicity or religion as a factor — as long as it is not the only one — when selecting subjects for scrutiny.” OK, so we can use religion plus the tendency of the suspect to buy Pita bread. Or his Islam and his beard…
Posted by As'ad at 7:58 AM 10/29/09
Hooked on Haykal
My mother yesterday was pleased: she told me that she has discovered the Muhammad Hasanayn Haykal show on Aljazeera. She said that she finally found someone that she agrees with. But she said that she noticed that he starts to make strong and necessa…
Posted by As'ad at 7:56 AM 10/29/09
Mubarak Ship is sinking, fast
There are signs that the Mubarak ship (or dinghy) is sinking fast. You know how I know: Al-Masir Al-Yawm is suddenly changing orientations and began to slowly distance itself from Mubarak (father and son).
Posted by As'ad at 7:46 AM 10/29/09
Elie Wiesel Hearts Hagee
“Elie Wiesel addressed a crowd of 6,000 Christian Zionists at Pastor John Hagee’s “Night To Honor Israel.” According to the San Antonio Express News, while Wiesel sat by his side, Hagee trashed President Barack Obama, baselessly accusing him of “being …
Posted by As'ad at 7:43 AM 10/29/09
J Street: the conference (what do you expect from what Amos Oz endorses)
Yesterday, I decided to actually read the full schedule of the Conference. Leftists are praising the conference. And did you see how the J Street took an ad in the Washington Post to brag about Israeli endorsements? They were so thin, those few name…
Posted by As'ad at 7:35 AM 10/29/09
Michel Ofrey (the “post-anarchist”) as a racist?
Emilie sent me everything I need to know about Michel Ofrey (I cite with her permission):”I’ve just read your blog entry about Michel Onfray and as a French leftist, I have to react: Michel Onfray might have started off (a loooong time ago maybe ?) a…
Posted by As'ad at 7:28 AM 10/29/09
Foreign maid in Lebanon
Another Ethiopian maid, 26, “fell” to her death near Sidon in South Lebanon.
Posted by As'ad at 7:26 AM 10/29/09
Plagiarism in the Daily Star?
Robert sent me this: “Read the fourth paragraph of this article from the Daily Star:”Le Gray is located in the historic heart of Downtown Beirut, a 15-minute drive from Rafik Hariri International Airport, in the smart Beirut Central District. It of…
Posted by As'ad at 7:23 AM 10/29/09
