Archive for November, 2009
My talk on Youtube
Niz uploaded my talk at Harvard Law School on Youtube:Part IPart IIPart IIIPart IVPart VQ & APart IPart IIPart IIIPart IV
Posted by As'ad at 4:30 PM 11/30/09
Sheikh Mo on the Slopes
Sheikh Mo is under a lot of stress these days. Why does not he take a break: he can go and rest on the multi-billion dollar artificial ski slopes that he brought to Dubai. Oh, yeah.
Posted by As'ad at 10:41 AM 11/30/09
sectarianism versus sectarianism
Comrade Khalid explains sectarianism in Lebanon.
Posted by As'ad at 10:39 AM 11/30/09
Minarets or missiles?
Rudolph makes a good point to me. He points out that the minarets on the Swiss political posters were made to look like missiles, just for extra effect.
Posted by As'ad at 8:42 AM 11/30/09
The Southern Movement in Yemen
“I have information that the Yemeni team which is leading the war effort had planned to drag the Saudis into the war. This plan started when the regime realised it cannot crush Al Houthi group militarily. Informed sources in Sana’a tell me the gover…
Posted by As'ad at 8:36 AM 11/30/09
My talk at Harvard Law School
Ammar put my talk at Harvard Law School here. We need somebody to upload it on Youtube to make it easier to link to. (thanks Ammar)PS And if you manage to upload it on Youtube, send me the link NOW.
Posted by As'ad at 8:09 AM 11/30/09
Thomas Friedman: the global thinker (is Bozo, the Clown a global thinker too?)
“Tom Friedman can declare with a straight face that “anyone who shoots up innocent people is … mentally imbalanced” without seeing how clearly that applies to himself and those who think like he does. It’s that self-absorbed disconnect — seeing …
Posted by As'ad at 8:05 AM 11/30/09
Saddam TV
Saddam TV hits Iraqis. But I think that Saddam TV could be useful. I mean, if it airs Saddam’s speeches it could guarantee that insomnia is cured forever all over the Arab world. (thanks “l”)
Posted by As'ad at 8:02 AM 11/30/09
For you, Jamal Mubarak
“Masrawy website launched a campaign to keep the Egyptian flags waiving throughout the country. This campaign comes as a continuation to the initiative for raising the Egyptian flags in the Egyptian cities and villages, which was witnessed prior to …
Posted by As'ad at 8:00 AM 11/30/09
Disgrace unto the nations
“The Supreme Court is currently discussing a case that concerns Israel’s practice of immediately returning asylum seekers who cross from Egypt into Israel back across the border. It appears that in so doing, Israel may be violating international l…
Posted by As'ad at 7:54 AM 11/30/09
Laila reviews Caldwell
“Caldwell repeats the thoroughly debunked canard that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were roundly celebrated in the Muslim world: “It was a day of joy in much of the Muslim world, including parts of Muslim Europe.” On the contrary, there were demonstrat…
Posted by As'ad at 7:47 AM 11/30/09
Two hours of high fives
“The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Monday charged two Border Police officers with grievously attacking an Arab youth passing by them near the Old City of Jerusalem.” Let me predict: they will serve no time in jail, and will receive high fives from…
Posted by As'ad at 7:44 AM 11/30/09
Hariri tribunal
I was asked for an udpate on the Hariri tribunal. Oh, yeah. I forgot. Here is an update: blah and zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Posted by As'ad at 7:43 AM 11/30/09
Sheikh Mo
“”Where next for the ruling family in Dubai?” said British historian Christopher Davidson. “The massive loss of legitimacy that the ruler is now facing, the massive loss of legitimacy that his son and crown prince face after lying to the World Economic…
Posted by As'ad at 7:42 AM 11/30/09
Boycotting Switzerland
The ban on minarets in Switzerland is one of the most outrageous signs of blatant religious intolerance in the 21st century. And it happened by a popular vote: so it can’t be blamed on a fringe right-wing group anymore. This is a sign and it is amazi…
Posted by As'ad at 7:36 AM 11/30/09
Religious bigotry in the New York Times
What happened in Switzerland is quite significant. Of course, only an ignorant would associate Switzerland with equality and tolerance: just remember–as I always remind my students–that women were only granted the right to vote in 1971. Enough said…
Posted by As'ad at 7:27 AM 11/30/09
Global Thinkers…my potato
Amer sent me this list from FP for amusement. He asked me try to read it without laughing. It is not possible. You may try that yourselves. I mean, you will read the list of names and laugh, one by one. When you read that Hirsi Ali, for example, i…
Posted by As'ad at 6:08 AM 11/30/09
Flash: On Prince Sultan
Prince Khalid Bin Sultan just announced that his father, Prince Sultan will return to Saudi Arabia in a few weeks. He has been away for months: first in New York City and then in Morocco. You know what this announcement mean, don’t you? It means tha…
Posted by As'ad at 6:07 AM 11/30/09
“Their” book about “our” history or Who corrects exams at the IC? As’ad AbuKhalil1 or Avigdor Lieberman2?
““Their” book about “our” history or Who corrects exams at the IC? As’ad AbuKhalil1 or Avigdor Lieberman2″
Posted by As'ad at 11:19 AM 11/29/09
Locations of Heroism
Yesterday, the deputy Saudi Minister of Defense, Khalid Bin Sultan–Sultan is very dead as you know–toured the border area with Yemen. He commended the troops and said: “that is how men should be.” He talked about “locations of heroism.” He praised…
Posted by As'ad at 10:50 AM 11/29/09
All that you have done to our peoples is registered in notebooks
“When the observers arrived, a statement said, “six soldiers were detaining a young man who appeared to be in distress. He was holding his abdomen and crying. His mother and a man held him while an older man spoke with the soldiers.”"
Posted by As'ad at 10:48 AM 11/29/09
When the Mossad thinks it is being smart
I love it when the Mossad leaks to the subservient Israeli media. Israeli media publishes Israeli intelligence leaks without asking questions, just like media of the Arab regimes. Look at this article from the Zionist paper, haaretz. It is so funny,…
Posted by As'ad at 10:41 AM 11/29/09
Israel: disgrace unto the nations
“A captain in the army’s VIP protection unit was arrested early Saturday on suspicion that he tried to sexually assault a woman at the Tel Aviv Port.” (thanks Olivia)
Posted by As'ad at 10:40 AM 11/29/09
All you can eat
“I’ve been to Gitmo. Why don’t you go? I’d like to invite you. You know, I consider Gitmo a real resource. The people there are treated probably better than they are in the prisons in America. They have more doctors and medical practitioners per …
Posted by As'ad at 10:33 AM 11/29/09
Help
“Paul Reynolds, head of Rothschild’s advisory operations in the Middle East, was this week asked to work for the Dubai government’s chief restructuring officer alongside Aidan Birkett of Deloitte, who was appointed on Wednesday.”
Posted by As'ad at 10:32 AM 11/29/09
Dubai: the geo-politics
“Abu Dhabi, the wealthiest member of the UAE and a close ally of the US, may be pressuring Dubai to limit its links to Iran. Indeed, this pressure may be behind statements coming from Abu Dhabi about offering “selective” support for Dubai. Companie…
Posted by As'ad at 10:31 AM 11/29/09
Daniel Pipes Hearts Dubai’s polyganous ruler
“There are positive examples. The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, has recently come out with a book titled My Vision, for instance. He’s of note, because he actually achieved something. He stayed away from ideology and built an e…
Posted by As'ad at 10:07 AM 11/29/09
Hassan Fattah Covers Dubai
Chris in the UAE sent me this (I cite with his permission): “As’ad, I don’t have a specific link to point to, but I’d highly recommend checking out the coverage of the Dubai financial collapse in Hassan Fattah’s newspaper: if you lived in Abu Dhabi…
Posted by As'ad at 10:00 AM 11/29/09
Seek wisdom in the mouths of fools and Thomas Friedman’s Arab “friends”
““Liberal Arabs like me are as angry as a terrorist and as determined to change the status quo,” said my Jordanian friend.” Does that mean Thomas Friedman’s friend is an Angry Arab?
Posted by As'ad at 9:55 AM 11/29/09
Flash: Dahlan Task Force for Israel and Paris Hilton
The Dahlan Task Force for Israel has officially asked Paris Hilton to join its board. As is well-known, the dukkan (shop) was embarrassed by the revelation that the White House State Dinner’s crasher was a member of its board, so he was sneakily remov…
Posted by As'ad at 9:53 AM 11/29/09
The killer in Florida is Lebanese-American: but it is not news because he is not a Muslim
So the killer in Florida is Lebanese-American. But notice that this shooting did not get extensive coverage: and certainly did not get political coverage. They did not roll out terrorism experts to analyze the horrific crime for us. You know why? Be…
Posted by As'ad at 9:48 AM 11/29/09
Jesus on the iron: the picture
Here is the picture of the image of Jesus on the iron. Personally, I think it looks like Reese Witherspoon from Legally Blonde (I). Don’t you think? (thanks Guthman)
Posted by As'ad at 9:44 AM 11/29/09
From Switzerland with…hate
Swiss have accepted the anti-Minaret referendum with 57%. (thanks Cosi)
Posted by As'ad at 9:41 AM 11/29/09
Man of the People: Israel’s favorite king
“Behind the walls of this gated Bel-Air estate lies a palatial compound fit for royalty. Its lavish entertainment space includes an outdoor pavilion with a kitchen between the tennis courts and swimming pool. The property was bought in 1989 by Abdu…
Posted by As'ad at 9:39 AM 11/29/09
LA Times
If I were to pick one US newspaper for its coverage of the Middle East, and foreign affairs in general, i would pick the Los Angeles Times, flaws and all.
Posted by As'ad at 8:19 AM 11/29/09
Bush and Dubai
“The president grinned and tapped his foot as a group of girls stepped rhythmically to Arabic music, their long hair swinging from shoulder to shoulder. The light rain that fell during Bush’s arrival did not dampen the mood. Bush then had lunch with st…
Posted by As'ad at 8:12 AM 11/29/09
Dubai
So maybe that multi-billion dollar artificial ski slope was not necessary after all. Huh?
Posted by As'ad at 8:11 AM 11/29/09
White House State Dinner’s Crasher
The White House State Dinner’s crasher is seen here with Abu Mazen–looking dignified as always–and the founder and head of the Dahlan Task Force for Israel. (thanks anonymous)
Posted by As'ad at 10:16 AM 11/28/09
How original: they attack Israel, and they are accused of anti-Semitism
This is standard. What do Zionists want? They want no criticisms of Israel anywhere in the US. Even a local small newspaper is not allowed to publish criticisms of Israel. But this is classic: “The object is not to attack the press,” said Mr. G…
Posted by As'ad at 10:12 AM 11/28/09
These are the nicest and kindest and most obedient puppets there are
“Palestinian police close station after Israel says it interferes with military, airport communications. Palestinian police closed a radio station in the West Bank after Israel charged the broadcasts interfered with Israeli military and airport comm…
Posted by As'ad at 10:10 AM 11/28/09
Arab Wikipedia
My enemies are having a field day trashing me on the entry on me on Arab Wikipedia. (thanks Ali)
Posted by As'ad at 10:06 AM 11/28/09
This is the Israel that does not appear in the US press
“Father Samuel Aghoyan, a senior Armenian Orthodox cleric in Jerusalem’s Old City, says he’s been spat at by young haredi and national Orthodox Jews “about 15 to 20 times” in the past decade. The last time it happened, he said, was earlier this month…
Posted by As'ad at 9:59 AM 11/28/09
You can’t trust your colonial masters? Who can you trust?
“The Iraqi parliament is looking into the sale by a British company of “bomb detectors” costing millions of pounds amid claims that they do not work. In the past two years Iraq’s security forces have spent more than $80 million (£47 million) …
Posted by As'ad at 9:56 AM 11/28/09
There is a Jesus on my Iron
“A Massachusetts woman who recently separated from her husband and had her hours cut at work says an image of Jesus Christ she sees on her iron has reassured her that “life is going to be good.”" If a Muslim said that, it would be a national joke fo…
Posted by As'ad at 9:54 AM 11/28/09
Dahlan and Balloon Boy’s dad
There are rumors that Balloon Boy’s dad was also on the board of the Dahlan Task Force For Israel. The Dukkan is known for appointing and removing board members on its website, without notice. By the way, I am supposed to know a thing or two about Ar…
Posted by As'ad at 9:50 AM 11/28/09
Take your Dubai miracle and..
“Those with real money to burn would sail their yachts up to Plastik, a blinged-up beach club stuffed with beautiful people in Jacuzzis, where the bar staff lit a sparkler every time a magnum of vodka was ordered. They went through a lot of sparkler…
Posted by As'ad at 9:25 AM 11/28/09
Dubai and Abu Dhabi
“Although the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, recently told journalists to “shut up” and stop referring to Dubai and Abu Dhabi as being separate, and although the Al Maktoum family is of the same tribe as Abu Dhabi’s ruling Al Na…
Posted by As'ad at 9:23 AM 11/28/09
All that you have done to our peoples is registered in notebooks
Palestinian prisoners. (thanks Marcy)
Posted by As'ad at 9:21 AM 11/28/09
Hariri Media from the inside
A former reporter for Hariri Future TV sent me this (she/he does not want to be identified): “Election times were the worst when Hani Hammoud [chief media and political adviser to mini-Hariri] would come to the TV during those times to lecture us on h…
Posted by As'ad at 9:18 AM 11/28/09
The King and the Shoe
Demonstrators gathered in Istanbul to protest the Saudi war in Yemen. A man rubs his shoes on the portrait of Saudi King. As is widely known, shoes are offensive in Arab–but not in Western–culture. (thanks Hassan)
Posted by As'ad at 9:13 AM 11/28/09
Dubai by the numbers
Dubai in numbers. (thanks Sellam)
Posted by As'ad at 9:11 AM 11/28/09
Saudi Royal (lack of) Intelligence
This is an important interview with Hasan Badib, former deputy chief of intelligence in Saudi Arabia. He reveals the extent to which King Faysal was closely coordinating with Sadat on peace initiative toward the Zionist entity up until his death. He …
Posted by As'ad at 9:01 AM 11/28/09
If Muslim schools did that, they would have been bombed by air by Israeli Air Force
“An examination conducted by the Education Ministry reveals several schools in Jerusalem have enrolled students who have never attended a class. In recent months the Education Ministry has employed the services of private investigators following inf…
Posted by As'ad at 8:56 AM 11/28/09
Kurds in Syria
“This 63-page report documents the Syrian authorities’ efforts to ban and disperse gatherings calling for Kurdish minority rights or celebrating Kurdish culture, as well as the detention of leading Kurdish political activists and their ill-treatment…
Posted by As'ad at 8:49 AM 11/28/09
“Pro-Western” Hariri Movement
These are the fruits of the Hariri Movement in Lebanon. This picture was taken by anonymous this Thursday in Hamra Street in Beirut. It says: “Al-Fatihah on the souls of the martyrs of Muslims declares [sic] the Youth of Vengeance and Revenge in con…
Posted by As'ad at 8:44 AM 11/28/09
My name is Bond. Hamid Bond.
“Afghanistan’s 007 is the newest incarnation in the nation’s scrappy, low-budget film industry still struggling to recover from years of Taliban repression. If all goes as planned, “Nijat” will debut next year as part of the fifth annual Kabul Internat…
Posted by As'ad at 8:43 AM 11/28/09
Everything you wanted to know about Zayn Al-Athat
A Lebanese scientist who does not want to be identified sent me this information on Zayn Al-Athat (the Lebanese quack/alleged crook who peddles his miraculous products in infomercials on Lebanese TV stations): “Regarding your inquiry about Zayn Athat….
Posted by As'ad at 8:32 AM 11/28/09
Strenuous workouts
They asked Fadi `Abbud, the Minister-designate of Tourism in Lebanon, whether he works out. “Of course,” he said. “I take a walk EVERY Saturday.”
Posted by As'ad at 8:31 AM 11/28/09
Israel: disgrace unto the nations
“For Golan Heights residents who want to join a future spouse in Syria, they too must sign on their honour to never return to the other side. Once they’ve crossed the border, they’re given a Syrian residency card which specifies that they’ve renounc…
Posted by As'ad at 10:55 AM 11/27/09
Not in the US media
“Unions in Iraq (FWCUI) has called for an expansion of the now 41 day-old leather industries strike, into other industries and sectors across Iraq. In their call (which you can read in the original Arabic here, and in English translation here) they…
Posted by As'ad at 10:52 AM 11/27/09
