Archive for January, 2010

The Low One

This has become a very popular poster in the streets of the Middle East and on the internet. It says (on top): “The High One Built the High Dam”, and (bottom): “The Low One built the Low Dam.” (thanks Kifah)

Posted by As'ad at 8:35 AM 01/30/10

For Jamal Mubarak, and for Israel

“But what suits the West in Egypt comes at a huge price for ordinary people who live without relief from debilitating poverty, endemic corruption, and repression of human rights. Take the story of Ibrahim Abdel Rahman, 30, a blogger who was released…

Posted by As'ad at 8:31 AM 01/30/10

From the Kingdom of horrors

“A Saudi Arabian court has sentenced a Saudi mother of three to 300 lashes for visiting government departments without a male guardian escort and for filing a complaint to the Saudi King against government officials for corruption and misuse of powe…

Posted by As'ad at 8:29 AM 01/30/10

I knew that Totten is very boring and thougtless, but I never knew that he could be funny

“The Barney Fife of Middle Eastern “expertise” is at it again. With a couple of exceptions, I try to not write about Michael Totten, mostly because his ignorance makes my head hurt, and his childish worldview is depressing to me. Some things, ho…

Posted by As'ad at 8:27 AM 01/30/10

Orientalist imagination on crack

This is officially the ugliest hotel in the world, and it will be constructed in Baghdad. (thanks Hassan)

Posted by As'ad at 8:20 AM 01/30/10

When Queen Youtube tweets about her PlayStation husband

“Feeling very proud at Davos, His Majesty:” If someone threatens my people I have the right to defend them”. I bet he will. He will do what his father has done before him: when threatened, he will plead with Israel to save him. Kingdom? Are you kid…

Posted by As'ad at 8:17 AM 01/30/10

This is Zionism

“Six years after first collection of Breaking the Silence testimonies, organization releases booklet of testimonies from female soldiers who served in territories. Stories include systematic humiliation of Palestinians, reckless and cruel violence,…

Posted by As'ad at 8:16 AM 01/30/10

This almost triggered sectarian conflict in Biqa` as Hariri supporters rushed to accuse Shi`ites of kidnapping him

“On late Thursday night, security forces located “the lost imam,” as Majzoub has been dubbed by some media outlets, at his friend’s house in a neighboring village in good health and sporting a different look. They found a clean-shaven Majzoub sitt…

Posted by As'ad at 8:12 AM 01/30/10

When the poor commit suicide

“Suicide is on the rise in Egypt, where about 45% of the population lives on $2 a day or less. Gamal Zahran, a member of parliament, has blamed the government for unemployment and poverty that he says have caused thousands of Egyptians to kill thems…

Posted by As'ad at 8:09 AM 01/30/10

Fath Movement: the official arm of the Israeli occupation

“Netanyahu to U.S.: I’ll free Fatah prisoners to boost Abbas”

Posted by As'ad at 1:59 AM 01/30/10

Israeli massacre of books

This is a more detailed report on the Israeli massacre of Palestinian books. (thanks Sami)

Posted by As'ad at 1:54 AM 01/30/10

Rape in Dubai

“But, recent events in Dubai suggest that this meeting place may not be quite as comfortable or cosy as one may think. On New Year’s Eve, a young British woman of Pakistani descent was allegedly raped by a hotel worker at an upmarket hotel in Dubai Marina. She had been celebrating her engagement with [...]

Posted by As'ad at 1:51 AM 01/30/10

Prince Khalid bin Sultan: Jihad Khazen is worried about his taxes

“In Davos another day, and in a meeting of media leaders with David Cameron, I asked him a specific question: would you say now that the conservative party will not increase taxes if they win the next general election?” (thanks “Ibn Rushd”)

Posted by As'ad at 1:44 AM 01/30/10

Isabel Kershner and Ethan Bronner: the propaganda duet

Really. Why not Isabel Kershner and Ethan Bronner just save time and ink and just write daily something along the lines of: “with blood, with spirit, we sacrifice ourselves for you, o Israeli war crimes.” Look at this piece. I mean, the New York Times has published more ink on Israeli official and non-official responses [...]

Posted by As'ad at 1:09 AM 01/30/10

Victimhood and skin color

My weekly article in Al-Akhbar: “Victimhood and skin color: The Ethiopian [female workers] on the crashed plane”.

Posted by As'ad at 12:39 PM 01/29/10

Tibi needs lessons of history

“Racism and hatred for anything that is different, including Arabs, have raised their heads here in Israeli society.” Raised their heads, Mr. Tibi? Sit down in the Knesset and listen. It is part and parcel of this state. Since its founding. No, lo…

Posted by As'ad at 9:56 AM 01/29/10

Levy

“A thousand speeches against anti-Semitism will not extinguish the flames ignited by Operation Cast Lead, flames that threaten not only Israel but the entire Jewish world. As long as Gaza is under blockade and Israel sinks into its institutionalized…

Posted by As'ad at 9:51 AM 01/29/10

Australian Classification Board versus women

“”Australian Classification Board (ACB) is now banning depictions of small-breasted women in adult publications and films. They banned mainstream pornography from showing women with A-cup breasts, apparently on the grounds that they encourage paedop…

Posted by As'ad at 9:49 AM 01/29/10

New York Times gives free excuses to all of Israeli crimes

“Apparently concerned that the protests could spread, the Israeli Army and security forces have recently begun clamping down, arresting scores of local organizers and activists here and conducting nighttime raids on the homes of others.” (thanks Ziy…

Posted by As'ad at 9:26 AM 01/29/10

EXCLUSIVE…Blackwater’s Youngest Victim:

“Father of 9 Year-Old Killed in Nisour Square Gives Most Detailed Account of Massacre to Date”

Posted by As'ad at 9:25 AM 01/29/10

This is exactly what the West have in mind when it speaks of reforms

“Yet beneath the kingdom’s glossy surface lies an autocratic underbelly. Despite economic liberalisation, the political reforms of the early 1990s have stalled. While Abdullah talks the language of change, domestic supporters have grown frustrated a…

Posted by As'ad at 9:21 AM 01/29/10

The New York Times and its Israeli propaganda standards

The Israeli government has not yet released an official response to the Goldstone report. Yet, the New York Times has printed tens of articles in which Israeli military commanders and propagandists were allowed to respond to the Goldstone report. The…

Posted by As'ad at 9:17 AM 01/29/10

Israel’s dirty feet

“Liberia awarded Israel’s Elenilto Mineral Mining Ltd. the rights to develop the $1.6 billion Western Cluster iron ore project, the West African country’s President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, said.” (thanks Hani)

Posted by As'ad at 9:07 AM 01/29/10

Zinn

If the New York Times could snicker it would have: “A conventional historical account held no allure; he concentrated on what he saw as the genocidal depredations of Christopher Columbus, the blood lust of Theodore Roosevelt and the racial failings of…

Posted by As'ad at 9:04 AM 01/29/10

Anthony Shadid

I am not sure that I am happy that a fine foreign correspondent, Anthony Shadid, is working for the New York Times. I have a feeling that he won’t be allowed to touch the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Posted by As'ad at 9:00 AM 01/29/10

The worst puppet your money can buy

“Moreover, the Palestinian Authority (PA), which Mr Abbas heads, depends on American cash.” (thanks Olivia)

Posted by As'ad at 8:58 AM 01/29/10

Winning hearts, minds, and buttocks of Muslims

“Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority has reportedly received a list of instructions from Washington, saying travelers may be subjected to random manual inspection that includes sensitive body parts like the buttocks. The decision applies not on…

Posted by As'ad at 8:56 AM 01/29/10

Zionists: occupiers and book burners

“Israel plundered and destroyed tens of thousands of Palestinian books in the years after the State’s establishment, according to a doctoral thesis to be submitted next month by a Ben-Gurion University researcher.” (thanks Ibrahim)

Posted by As'ad at 8:49 AM 01/29/10

Hizbullah and Iran

I was watching a news show yesterday in which Lebanese journalist, Rafiq Khuri was talking. I really like this man: he is knowledgeable, funny, erudite and is a great conversationalist. He knows Arabic poetry very well, and was a sounding board (at a…

Posted by As'ad at 6:38 AM 01/29/10

Ethiopian delegation in Lebanon

There was an official Ethiopian delegation in Lebanon. I worried about them in officially racist Lebanon. I imagined that some Lebanese official would order them to go to the kitchen and make coffee.

Posted by As'ad at 6:27 AM 01/29/10

Davos

I want to visit the town of Davos but I am talking here about the Davos forum. Have there been more boring and silly exercises than those gatherings?

Posted by As'ad at 6:26 AM 01/29/10

Obama: the Middle East has obviously plagued the region for centuries

“The Middle East has obviously plagued the region for centuries.” If Bush came up with this dumb observation, he would widely mocked. Obama should be equally mocked for this dumb statement. But play the whole clip and see how awful, cowardly, nervous…

Posted by As'ad at 6:25 AM 01/29/10

Mary Daly

I suspended my New York Times during my trip but my delivery person insists on saving all copies for me until I come back. So I was going through them and just today I learned that Mary Daly died. I feel guilty for not noting that on this blog. She …

Posted by As'ad at 11:37 AM 01/28/10

Charles Mathias

Nowhere in this NYT obituary is there a reference to his criticisms of the Israeli lobby.

Posted by As'ad at 11:04 AM 01/28/10

Celebrity worship

Abdullah sent me this (displeased): “”A People’s History” had some famous admirers, including Matt Damon and Affleck. The two grew up near Zinn, were family friends and gave the book a plug in their Academy Award-winning screenplay for “Good Will Hu…

Posted by As'ad at 10:54 AM 01/28/10

A tribute to Howard Zinn

“Howard Zinn (1922-2010): A Tribute to the Legendary Historian with Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein and Anthony Arnove.” (thanks Mina)

Posted by As'ad at 10:51 AM 01/28/10

The festival of Lebanese racism

“”Un homme, venu avec Ali à l’hôpital, affirme calmement : « Il y a eu déjà deux crashs à bord desquels ont péri des Libanais travaillant en Afrique… Il est temps que la Middle East Airlines desserve correctement ce continent. »”" (thanks M…

Posted by As'ad at 10:50 AM 01/28/10

Lebanese marriages

“But the study has proven the argument to be out of touch with the facts: slightly more Lebanese women are married to Syrians than Palestinians (22 percent compared to 21.7 percent), with those married to other Arabs or foreigners forming the majori…

Posted by As'ad at 10:43 AM 01/28/10

This should be a national emergency in Lebanon

“Abused, humiliated and deprived of the most basic rights, foreign maids in Lebanon are starting to fight back against their employers in court and, in rare cases, they are winning. Nanda, from Sri Lanka is one of the few to break the silence. The …

Posted by As'ad at 10:39 AM 01/28/10

Dubbing

If you compare Syrian dubbing of foreign TV serials to Lebanese dubbing of foreign TV serials you can only reach this conclusion: the Syrian people are so much more likable and adorable and charming.

Posted by As'ad at 10:37 AM 01/28/10

It is all for you, Jamal Mubarak: you will be blessed by Israel/US

“Food aid from the United Arab Emirates entered Israel en route to Gaza on Thursday morning, including 500 tons of flour and 200 tons of sugar.”

Posted by As'ad at 10:36 AM 01/28/10

Showering

Who am I to disagree with George Habash at whose feet I learned about Palestine. But the notion that a shower a day is the same as a shower a month is rather not true. (And the man in real life was very clean).

Posted by As'ad at 10:33 AM 01/28/10

Why Israel’s years are numbered

“Danish Bank (Danske Bank), the biggest financial group in Denmark, has excluded Elbit Systems, Magal and Africa Israel from its investment portfolio because of their involvement in providing equipment for the Wall and in settlement construction. Th…

Posted by As'ad at 10:30 AM 01/28/10

Meet the military genius of the 20th century

“Nearly three months of fighting between Saudi Arabian troops and Shiite Muslim rebels along the Yemen border has ended, the Saudi government announced Wednesday, declaring victory two days after the rebels offered a cease-fire.” The victory really …

Posted by As'ad at 9:26 AM 01/28/10

Israel’s dirty feet

“According to the new American report, due to his standing in Angola Leviev came to know the Chinese companies and began to form business ties with them. These ties produced several huge deals involving the prestigious Manhattan real estate owned by…

Posted by As'ad at 9:20 AM 01/28/10

Mere $40 billion

The Yemeni prime minister may have arrived at a magical solution to the problems in his country. He tells Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat (the mouthpiece of Prince Salman and his kids) that the solution to Yemen’s problems requires a mere $40 billion. Kid you not…

Posted by As'ad at 9:17 AM 01/28/10

Deeply involved? Really? We had no idea.

“U.S. military teams and intelligence agencies are deeply involved in secret joint operations with Yemeni troops who in the past six weeks have killed scores of people, among them six of 15 top leaders of a regional al-Qaeda affiliate, according to …

Posted by As'ad at 9:13 AM 01/28/10

militarization of aid

“Leading aid agencies working in the region say the “militarisation of aid” is putting ordinary Afghans on the frontline because insurgents will target any reconstruction work associated with armed forces.” (thanks Olivia)

Posted by As'ad at 9:09 AM 01/28/10

Prince Al-Walid wants to help the Lebanese Army

Now Prince Al-Walid (certainly with the approval of his boss, Rupert Murdoch) wants to help the Lebanese Army. He will supply the army with anything that does not harm or pose a threat to Israel. (thanks Zainab)

Posted by As'ad at 9:07 AM 01/28/10

Al-Hayat newsroom: what Khalid Bin Sultan can do for you

I spoke to a former writer/editor of Al-Hayat (the mouthpiece of Prince Khalid Bin Sultan–the most brilliant mind since Haniba`l). He was explaining to me the forms of censorship in the paper. He said that there are five different layers of censorsh…

Posted by As'ad at 8:57 AM 01/28/10

Two Tanslations of George Habash’s letter to his wife

First, Saja kindly translated this letter from George Habash to his wife:” A letter from George Habash to his wife, which he sent from Jarash Heights in Jordan, January 1971Dearest Umm Maysa[1],My greetings, yearning and love.I’ve received your lette…

Posted by As'ad at 10:08 AM 01/27/10

Ethiopian plane

Typical. It seems that the Ethiopian passengers had their seat belts on, while the Lebanese passengers did not.

Posted by As'ad at 9:57 AM 01/27/10

On the 2nd anniversary of his death

George Habash’s letter to his wife in 1971. Can you imagine the lousy Yasser `Arafat capable of writing a letter like this one?PS I want a volunteer to translate this into English. It is worth it. Our readers would appreciate it.

Posted by As'ad at 9:44 AM 01/27/10

Book reviews

I know that you are paying me (NOT) big bucks to maintain this site, o readers, enemies, and jerks but my jet lag and grumpy mood has prevented me from writing about books I have been reading. In breif. Al-Hakam An-Nu`aymi’s book on the movement of W…

Posted by As'ad at 9:22 AM 01/27/10

The US is in charge: exclusive

Lebanese military sources report that the US has now taken over the plane search area off Beirut and the Lebanese navy is not allowed to enter the search zone.

Posted by As'ad at 8:42 AM 01/27/10

List of Names of Victims of ET 409 Crash

List of Names of Victims of ET 409 Crash (thanks Beniam)

Posted by As'ad at 8:36 AM 01/27/10

Expression in Jordan

You may not curse Mubarak or praise Saddam in Jordan. And you are supposed to forget that Saddam was closest to Husayn, and that Uday (or Uuuuuday in American pronunciation) Saddam Husayn was best buddy with King PlayStation. (thanks Dina)

Posted by As'ad at 8:32 AM 01/27/10

The state with the short shelf-life

“According to a testimony given to B’Tselem by Ahmad Abu ‘Alia, a 21-year-old resident of al-Mughayir and a student at a-Najah University, on Wednesday, 25 November 2009, while he was waiting near the Za’tara checkpoint for a transportation to t…

Posted by As'ad at 8:28 AM 01/27/10