So what is going on? There is a great picture in this week's issue of Washington Jewish Week of the new Jordanian national security chief and acting director of the king's office, Ma`ruf Al-Bakhit, who proved his usefulness as King's ambassador in Israel. If you see his picture (it is not available in the on-line edition) with Sharon you will understand why he was appointed to the new important position. He all but prostrated himself before Sharon. Don't you like it when the US government (and Thomas Friedman) relies on King `Abdullah of Jordan to lead the fight for the "reform" of Islam? This has as much credibility as me leading the fight for the reform of Southern Baptism. And the King does not dare address such topics except in English, with the Financial Times and NYT, only to deny saying what he had said in English in Arabic, which has become a predictable habit of his. Did you read the article on Rice's new "breakthrough" in the Middle East in Wed's NYT? First, do you notice the hype when in reality the Israeli occupation apparatus will continue to exercise control over Palestinian entry points? The New York Times mentioned in passing that Rice wanted an agreement to boost the sagging political fortunes of Abu Mazen before the January elections-under-occupations. And CNN has been airing exclusive reports from North Korea in which executions took place. Executions, I kid you not. CNN anchorperson, Wolf Blitzer, who started his career writing for the publication of the Israeli lobby, Near East Report, before becoming the correspondent of the Israeli daily Jerusalem Post, before becoming a CNN star, was shocked. He interviewed a British producer of the North Korean documentary, who told him that "while we in the West can't understand the practice of executions...." I kid you not. She and he did not notice. But then again. I think that they are subscribing to the view that there are civilized executions versus barbaric executions. Executions that use modern technology (electricity or chemicals) are civilized executions, versus the uncivilized ones used in North Korea. Fox News interviewed "foreign policy expert" Michael E. O'Hanlon of Brookings on the news of torture dungeon in Iraq. He said: "the numbers cannot compare to Saddam's era, etc." This dude has been commenting on Middle East affairs since Sep. 11 although he has never been trained in Middle East studies. OK, he may have had a falafil sandwich or two, but come on. He needs to eat at least 4 or 5 to qualify as an American specialist of the Middle East. The news of torture chambers in Iraq only underlines this: there are NO Iraqi security forces in Iraq. There are militias in Iraq. The Kurdish militias in the North, and what passes as Iraqi security forces in Center and South are but the sectarian Shi`ite militias of Badr which were founded by the most fanatical elements of the Iranian revolution. But Ahmad Chalabi is in town. Enjoy him. Michel `Awn is also in town. In the interview with ANB TV, Walid Jumblat continued his nostalgia for the "golden age" of Syria: he is still fond of the Syria of Hafidh Al-Asad, of the Hamah massacres, of the crushing of the PLO-LNM, of the shooting at prisoners from the air by Rif`at Al-Asad forces. He is the star of the Lebanonese revolution, lest you forget. And crackpot Lebanonese presidential candidate Shibli Mallat submitted his candidacy for the presidency of Lebanon with the...UN, whatever that means. He said that it is not safe to do so from Lebanon. Hizbullah continues its highly unintelligent political dance, disguised as a very intelligent dance--not the other way round. It warns of a sinister conspiracy, but does not dare displease the Hariri Inc, for some reason. And Hariri Political Inc is now really managed by the US Vice-President's office along with Prince Salman's office, I am told. And you have to read the interview with `Asim Qansu (Syria's long-time operative in Lebanon, who is reportedly responsible for the murder of anti-Syrian Ba`thists in Lebanon in the 1970s) in Ar-Ra'y Al-`Am yesterday. He denied saying what he said, until he was reminded that he was taped. Where do I go? No, I am not searching for the truth. I assumed that Plato wanted the truth, until the Hariri's vulgarization of the "truth." But: can they "handle the truth?"