Friday, November 04, 2011

NowHariri and the Syria matter: what Samir Quntar actually said

Of course, NowHariri is an outfit owned by Elie Khuri (of the Lebanese Forces) and is a Hariri media affiliate.  Of course, on all matters it toes the line.  You don't expect any less from Saudi/Hariri media.  Of course, you don't expect any respect for journalistic standards.  This is a site that regularly fabricates, distorts, invents, obfuscates, and deceives.  Look at this by its editor:  "Of course, none of that happened. But Kuntar did not care. Exactly three years later, Kuntar told the Syrian people that he is ready to cut off the hands of any Syrian who dares challenge the Assad regime."  1) These are not the words of Samir Quntar.  This has been circulating by supporters of Syrian branch of March 14 (the Saudi-funded elements of the Syrian opposition).  I asked Samir's brother, Bassam and he explained to me what Samir actually said--whether you agree with it or not.  He said that the story was first fabricated by Al-Arabiyya (the website of the news station of King Fahd's brother-in-law) which has a history of Mossad propaganda against Samir.  2) He said that Samir was at a speaking event in Algeria.  There were many Syrians in the audience.  Apparently, a raucous occurred AMONG the Syrians in the audience who were split between supporters of the regime and opponents of the regime.  Amid that noise, Samir actually said: "Whoever will carry arms against Syria will have his hand cut off, whoever he is".  3) It is interesting that Saudi/Hariri sites are focusing so much on this subject.  It seems to me the question is this: who has helped and supported the Syrian regime more over the years and decades?  Samir Quntar or House of Saud.  Let me see the NowHariri site go after the House of Saud.  But wait: NowHariri has human rights standards:  "The absurdity of protecting Assad is intolerable, especially since he has in essence admitted to the killing and torture of his people...: She forgot to add: the absurdity of protecting Morocco, Algeria, Mubarak's Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain..." But wait: have you noticed that the editor of the site has a real conflict with the English language? Look at this sentence: "The absurdity of protecting Assad is intolerable".   The sentence makes no sense because she wanted to say that it is absurd to protect the regime and she wants to say that it is intolerable to support the regime. But by saying that "The absurdity of protecting Assad is intolerable" she is basically refuting her own aim from that very sentence. She could have said: Protecting Assad is intolerable or that it is absurd to protect Assad.  But by saying the absurdity is intolerable, she implies that protecting Assad is not absurd.  She is lucky that the Hariri/Saudi handlers don't nit pick as long as overall propaganda is served.