Archive for July 9, 2012
Every defector is a reformist
From Akram, Angry Arab’s chief correspondent in Syria: ”Two stories from Moscow that shouldn’t be interlinked directly: 1- Russia will not deliver any new types of weapons or sign any military contracts with Syria until the situation there sta…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Franklin Lamb and anti-Semitism
This is classic anti-Semitism by my book: ”Israel’s duel loyalty agents, as well as more fair minded American Jewish voters have historically intimidated and influenced US presidents seeking reelection, especially those in a tight race, with…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
The view from Kenya
“I for one do not know whether Iran’s nuclear programme is for bombs or lamps, but hey, why should the Americans tell Iran what Iran can and cannot do? In a region dominated by the nuclear might of Israel, pampered minion of the United States, who wo…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Instigator of Fitnah
People in the Western press who write favorably about Saudi tyranny because they simply follow the dictates of America foreign policy orientations–no matter what (is it not shameful that Saudi Arabia even after Sep. 11 does not get denounced in the US…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Boycott
“City Press reports that the ANC policy conference has recommended the boycott of Israeli products as one of its planks to support the Palestinian freedom struggle. This is a significant policy shift in its relationship with Israel. At the policy confe…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
You want Western knowledge? We give you one
“The Lebanese-born American knows the region as well as any popular Western author writing today.” (thanks Nir)
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
NATO intervention in Libya
My latest blog post for Al-Akhbar English on Arab public opinion and NATO intervention in Libya.
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Syrians don’t want freedoms: or so says Bashshar
Austin sent me this: ”A German journalist interviewed Bashar and it was aired on German TV yesterday. The interview is in English. This has to be seen/read to be believed. Homeboy is still talking about reforms. He acts as though he was actual…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Jordan updates
My colleague Maria in Florida sent me this: “I am sure the young fellow in Salt appreciates to know that his injuries were not part of systematic torture, but just some wrongdoings… And here the press release in Arabic from the NCHR…You should con…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Bahrain Updates
From Angry Arab chief correspondent in Bahrain: ”Nabeel rajab has finally been sentenced 3 months over his tweets against the Prime Minister. Masked men came and arrested him from his house.Also the court dissolved the small islamist political …
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
From left to right, and vice versa
People who switch from Right to Left are sincere: there are no rewards for joining the Left in the Arab world (or even the West). People who switch from Left to Right are invariably opportunists who seek the material rewards provided by Saudi pri…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
"Al Nahar Published the stupid article" (about censorship in Lebanon)
Ali sent me this: ”plus, someone (not me) should tell them that “Beirut Hotel” was released in Cinemas and will be released on DVD, they only had to remove the reference to Hariri (Danielle Arbid backed down, and she also originally told…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
being quoted in the Western press
In 1993, I met Judith Miller. It was a time when the New York Times was covering Islam and Muslims and Arabs following the World Trade Center bombing in that year. She came to my office at the Middle East Institute and interviewed me at len…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
the quotable "expert": he wants Arabs to build trust with Israeli leaders
Ahmet in Tunisia sent me this: ”Asad, we’re probably killing it, but for someone like him who emerges as the most quoted western (with a native name)”pundit” on ME uprisings, one must have really solid Zionist credentials to go with: here is a…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Demonstration in Qatif
This protest demonstration in Qatif, Saudi Arabia. If this was in Syria, Western and Arab media would have billed it as the biggest demonstration in human history.
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Update from Saudi Arabia
From one of Angry Arab correspondents in Saudi Arabia: “Update!Contrary to what has been circulating late last night that Sh. Nimr was taken to Riyadh, Medical sources at the military medical complex in Dahran leaked that he and many of injured prote…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Hizbullah on Syria, again
I was annoyed to wake up this morning and see that Hizbullah issued a special statement to condemn the arrest of Shaykh An-Nimr in Saudi Arabia. I mean, how many people in Syria have been killed and arrested and the party never issued one stateme…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Another plea for the retirement of Robert Fisk
I have argued for years now that Robert Fisk has officially and unofficially lost it. This fanatic Salafite cleric from Sidon is now a national joke. Even the Hariri political establishment has distanced itself from him and his silly antics…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad
Hani Al-Hasan dies
The Fath leader, Hani Al-Hasan, died. He is one of the three brothers (Khalid and Bilal are the other two, although Bilal has been close to the left) who has influenced the modern Palestinian political movement. Khalid Al-Hasan has been the bigge…
Posted on July 9, 2012 by As'ad