Archive for July 4, 2012
Meet the secular leaders of the Syrian National Council
“”The revolution came out of the mosques, so with my respect to minorities, we want a civil state but we must also remember that more than 80 percent of Syria is Muslim,” said Abdel-Ilah al-Mulham, a tribal leader from the besieged city of Homs and an …
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Fist fights in Cairo
“U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Washington applauded the conference for bringing together a broad range of opposition elements, and she said there was “significant progress” on “a political vision statement and a transition plan…
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Not in the New York Times
“A group that tracks jihadist chatter on the Internet says shadowy militants have claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks across Syria, including a raid last week on a pro-government TV station that killed seven people.” (thanks Basim)
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Teaching bloody civil wars to other nations
This is the president of Lebanon: ”Lebanese President Michel Sleiman said, “Let us [Lebanese] work together to let Lebanon be the school of the region and a center for dialogue among religions and cultures.”" (thanks Daniel)
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Sudan uprising
Comrade Fawwaz on the Sudan uprsing
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
the corrupt Suha Arafat who sells her silence to the highest bidder on Saudi royalty
“”I would like to mention the Saudis and say that they are real kings in their faithfulness, sincerity and morality….this is not a compliment…when one is a king in morality and ethics, this is much more important than the post or title itself……
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Christians in Syria II: Tournyol du Clos
Akram, Angry Arab’s chief correspondent in Syria, sent me this: ”The post of Ibn Rushd is confirmed. Philppe Tournyol du Clos is actually a member of the “Fraternité sacerdotale Saint Pierre-District de France” (Not Pie X). And as Ibn Rushd m…
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Neil MacFarquhar puts a positive spin on the fist fight: it is democratic
“Some diplomats tried to put a positive spin on the meeting by saying it was incredible that so many diverse factions had agreed to meet in the first place.”
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Thomas Friedman: after mourning Mubarak, now he is deluding himself, again
“In fact, it could actually be the beginning of a real peace between the Israeli and the Egyptian peoples, instead of what we’ve had: a cold, formal peace between Israel and a single Egyptian pharaoh.” And if this columnist opposed to Israeli p…
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Nordland, again
Oh, I forgot this classic one: ”The security directorate has broad powers in other areas, too, refusing permission, for instance, for the director Francis Ford Coppola to land his private jet in Beirut in 2009 because the engine included parts ma…
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Arafat assassination: some background
A Palestinian physician sent me this: ”As you know, Aljazeera yesterday aired an investigative program about the assassination of Arafat, and what I noticed is something important: two years ago, an officer from the intelligence of the PA defecte…
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Arafat assassination
The Arafat assassination investigation was a good documentary: it was like watching a thriller. It was over the top in terms of presentation: it could have easily been condensed into a five minute report. But the report did not grill Suha A…
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Rod Nordland, who had admitted during his service in Iraq that he never left the Green Zone except when taken for a ride by US officials, is now officially working for the Hariri press office in Lebanon
So this guy, with no knowledge of Lebanon and no history in the country–hell, the man has no knowledge of the Middle East and no knowledge of one Middle East language–is parachuted into Lebanon and immediately starts vomiting articles on the country….
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Developments in Syria
From Akram, now the chief Angry Arab correspondent on Syria: ”Syria isn’t on the front page these days. Big news absent, but the small ones indicate that Syria is no more a country. It’s, rather, a psychiatric hospital: 1. The deputy PM, …
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Repression in Jordan (or what Human Rights Watch does not notice)
My colleague Maria sent me this: ”This is in the news this morning in Jordan: violent repression in Salt against Salafi demonstrators is leading to a broader protest about the role of Darak (and their use of torture) and as you can see some ar…
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
George Wassuf
Bashshar Al-Asad has plenty of time on his hands: he manages to oppress his people while also meeting with Milhim Barakat (two weeks ago) and now with George Wassuf. (Both are singers).
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Human Rights Watch: are they for real?
Today, I received a new statement by Human Rights Watch. It said in part: ”The Jordanian authorities have forcibly returned some newly arriving Palestinians from Syria and threatened others with deportation, Human Rights Watch said today….
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad
Syrian opposition and "small crimes"
I actually read the statement (full of typos and mistakes) that was issued by the Syrian opposition meeting in Cairo. One line about what the opposition proposes to do once they reach power got my attention: “Issuance of amnesty for some small cr…
Posted on July 4, 2012 by As'ad