The Angry Arab News Service/وكالة أنباء العربي الغاضب

Michel Sulayman

2012-01-27T12:19:00.001-08:00

My weekly article in Al-Akhbar: "Michel Sulayman and Sovereignty".

Exclusive in Al-Akhbar: sexual harassment in Lebanese parliament

2012-01-27T09:29:00.001-08:00

Ghassan Saud writes in Al-Akhbar about sexual harassment by Lebanese MPs. This is a first in the Arabic press.

Exclusive from Al-Akhbar English: Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

2012-01-27T01:06:00.000-08:00

"In November, rumours emerged that Rami Abdulrahman was a pseudonym of SOHR’s founder. Many who doubted SOHR’s credibility cried “smoking gun.” When a professional-looking letter published last week by a rival group, claiming to speak on behalf of SOHR, accused Abdulrahman of falsifying his name and hijacking SOHR’s identity, suspicions turned into certainty. The politically motivated debate about SOHR clouded a much needed examination of all the facts involved. A closer look at these facts suggests that the pseudonym issue is the least significant element of the controversy. More than anything else, the row between the two rival groups laying claim over SOHR seems to reflect a wider political feud brewing between the two main Syrian opposition camps: the Syrian National Council (SNC) and the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria (NCB), both increasingly at odds with each other over the call for foreign intervention....The moving force behind the rival group (www.syriahr.org) who issued a letter attacking Abdulrahman’s group (www.syriahr.com) is a London-based Syrian exile and medical doctor named Mousab Azzawi. The smear campaign launched by Azzawi seemed to have undertones of classism. Abudlrahman was depicted in the letter as someone who is “unable to communicate professionally in English language [sic.],” has a “very modest level of education,” and whose “primary profession is installing satellite dishes” but happened to help out with posting Arabic articles for the Azzawi-led site. Despite these “humble” credentials, Abdulrahman was linked to Rifaat Assad, exiled uncle of Syrian President Bashar Assad and a current dissident widely resented by pro- and anti-regime forces alike. Most damaging in the letter, perhaps, was the revelation of Abdulrahman’s real name – Ossama Suleiman. But, apart from using a pseudonym, Abdulrahman denied these charges well before the letter surfaced. As far as his name was concerned, Abdulrahman appeared last November on a London-based Arabic satellite channel al-Hiwar showing what he said was his British passport and Syrian ID papers with his real name, Ossama Suleiman, to the cameras. He did so after a critical article on an opposition website had disclosed the name. He also denied any links to Rifaat. Abdulrahman says that as a longtime opposition activist who organized emonstrations at the Syrian Embassy in London, he has always preferred to use a nom-de-guerre, something he points out is common among political leaders...In a phone interview with Al-Akhbar, Azzawi said he is a consultant pathologist who lectures at two universities, though he preferred not to name them. The General Medical Council (GMC) register shows that although a Mousab Azzawi with an MD from a Syrian university is licensed to practice medicine in the UK as of 2009, he is not on the specialist register. The GMC press office told Al-Akhbar that while the National Health Service (NHS) requires all its consultants to be on the specialist register apart from locum work: “the term ‘consultant’ isn’t in itself protected, and could, hypothetically, be used differently by private providers.” Azzawi said he practiced as a consultant pathologist privately, and did some locum work for the NHS. While disputing the personal identity and political connections of Abdulrahman, Azzawi himself seems to have offered misleading information about his credentials. While he identifies himself in the English version of the letter as a medical doctor and human rights activist, he signed an earlier Arabic version of the letter as a member of Amnesty International. Amnesty membership is open to anyone, and being a member is a far cry from being an active persona grata in the human rights organization, something most English readers are likely aware of." Asa did an excellent investigative work here.

UAE and Human Rights: it is cute when US clients violate them

2012-01-27T00:41:00.001-08:00

"Human Rights Watch accused the United Arab Emirates of cracking down on freedom of expression, during a news conference on Wednesday which was disrupted by men who claimed to be UAE officials and demanded the rights group end its presentation."

Bastions of human rights

2012-01-27T00:39:00.000-08:00

"The countries have put the issue on the agenda of the next meeting of the organization’s Executive Board, from Feb. 27 to March 10, the diplomats said. They include Qatar, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Arab League; Kuwait; the United Arab Emirates; Djibouti; Chile; South Korea; Japan; the United States; and European countries including France, Britain, Germany and Austria." Yeah. I mean who can better defend human rights than Qatar and UAE and Kuwait. They sure offer lessons on human rights and democracy.

The Muslim Brotherhood practices discrimination against women. No way. Really? How could that be? The Brotherhood of all people?

2012-01-27T00:31:00.000-08:00

"As the Muslim Brotherhood strives to project the image of a moderate and democratic political organization, a book featuring the angry account of a former member has hit the market. "The Memoirs of a Former Sister: My Story with the Muslim Brotherhood" is the testimony of Intissar Abdel Moneim, an Alexandria-based novelist and author. With a compelling style and sharp language, the book takes the reader on a journey exploring the internal politics of the 83-year-old organization, placing special emphasis on discrimination against female members. Throughout her work, Abdel Moneim decries the sisters’ internalization of oppression as women are socialized in a way that compels them to accept male dominance within the organization — and the household.

Early in the book, Abdel Moneim condemns what could be interpreted as the Brotherhood’s exploitation of the permissibility of polygamy in Islam. “One of the areas where the Brothers have exploited the idea of blind obedience and submission is polygamy,” she writes, adding that a brother would take second and third wives for no valid reason. “When the [first] wife complains, a session is held for her where other sisters would remind her of the importance of obedience, patience and submission to God’s will and to [the husband]’s will,” she writes. To understand the roots of the subjugation of women, Abdel Moneim unpacks the writings of Hassan al-Banna, the group’s late founder. Here, the author summons her courage and puts forth a vehement critique of the group’s canonized leader, who is rarely questioned, even by the most vocal ex-brothers. Banna's teachings sought to limit women to "catering to their husbands' desires and to reproduction," Abdel Moneim writes. The book dismisses Banna's dictum that there is no need to invest heavily in girls' education and that women should be trained only to serve as housewives and mothers. Abdel Moneim feels that this sentiment is contradictory to true Islam." (thanks Ahmet)

They do the dying AND the killing

2012-01-27T00:04:00.000-08:00

""More aggressive robotry development could lead to deploying far fewer U.S. military personnel to other countries, achieving greater national security at a much lower cost and most importantly, greatly reduced casualties," aerospace pioneer Simon Ramo, who helped develop the intercontinental ballistic missile, wrote in his new book, "Let Robots Do the Dying.""

I can see Israel sinking and an Israeli military official saying: this is really is strategically beneficial for Israel

2012-01-27T00:02:00.000-08:00

""The changes in Syria bear strategic benefits for Israel," former Military Intelligence Chief and Head of the Institute for National Security Studies Amos Yadlin said Thursday, at a seminar held at Tel Aviv University. Yadlin said that "For many years defense and political officials recommended that Israel strike a peace deal with Syria, even if it entailed paying a heavy price. The justification was to pull it out of the radical Syria-Iran axis."

Muslim Brotherhood wants to do business

2012-01-26T23:59:00.001-08:00

""Over the last few months the Egyptian investment bank EFG-Hermes organized sit-downs between Al-Shater and 14 major investment managers from Europe, the United States and Africa. Al-Shater used the opportunity to reassure investors that the new government shares their goals. “I believe the meeting dismissed some investors’ concerns about an extreme economic policy,” said Wael Ziada, an official with EFG. The Brotherhood wants continuity. Al-Shater’s relationship with EFG-Hermes has raised some eyebrows, since the investment bank was partially owned by deposed President Hosni Mubarak’s son Gamal. But the businessmen in the Brotherhood do not seem concerned by this connection, and they are not at all hasty to jettison the Mubaraks’ economic legacy...."" (thanks Nu`man)

NATO regime in Syria

2012-01-26T23:57:00.000-08:00

"The moral authority of Libya's new government was called into question by two international aid groups yesterday as confidence begins to falter that the National Transitional Council, backed by Western governments in last year's civil war, can deliver on its promises to deliver freedom and democracy. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) brought an abrupt halt to its operations in the Libyan town of Misrata after being asked by officials to treat torture victims, in some cases to allow members of the country's new leadership to abuse the prisoners again. The move came as Amnesty International said it has collected evidence that Gaddafi supporters had been tortured to death in makeshift detention centres."

Ja`ja` (Ga`ga` in Egyptian accent)

2012-01-26T23:54:00.000-08:00

So I mentioned yesterday the lousy statement on Lebanon by the lousy Syrian National Council. Samir Ja`ja` (Ga`ga` in Egyptian accent) expressed strong support for the statement. Burhan Ghalyun is now officially an ally of Saudi Arabia and Ja`ja` (Ga`ga` in Egyptian accent). And you wonder why I would not make peace with the Syrian National Council?

Cowardice of Bashshar

2012-01-26T23:53:00.000-08:00

Finally, Syrian media has received orders to start attacking Saudi Arabia. I can report to you this: the criticisms are rather mild which only proves my theory: that the regime still hopes for a deal under the table.

When the GCC visits an Uprising: lessons for Arab opposition

2012-01-26T23:48:00.000-08:00

Look at the Arab League (GCC) proposal for Syria: it is a typical GCC initiative that seeks to preserve a regime but only change its face. They did the same in Yemen and wished to do the same in Egypt. It is a lesson for dumb (or worse) Arab opposition groups who throw their lots with Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries. We now know from British press that the Syrian National Council is now officially receiving Saudi funding. You expect progressives to support clients of GCC countries and refer to them as revolutionaries? Are you kidding me? Does that not vindicate all our suspicions about the lousy outfit known as the Syrian National Council?

Memory lane

2012-01-26T11:15:00.000-08:00

One of the students at University of Nottingham tonight, Husayn Khalidi, is the grandson of Walid Khalidi who was my teacher at the American University of Beirut. I am delighted that Husayn's politics are closer to my politics than to his grandfather's.

PS Husayn: please make Hamzah contact me via email tonight regarding arrangements of travel for tomorrow.

Flash. Exclusive. The King of Jordan has dignity.

2012-01-26T08:40:00.001-08:00

"A Jordanian political activist was sentenced on Thursday to two years in prison for undermining King Abdullah II's dignity, after he set alight a picture of the monarch this month. "The [military] state security court sentenced Uday Abu Issa, 18, to two years in jail. He has been found guilty of undermining the king's dignity," a judicial official said."

That lousy Wifaq opposition group in Bahrain

2012-01-26T08:29:00.000-08:00

The Bahraini people are suffering from oppression, and this lousy group is relying on the services of Ahmad Chalabi: "Jawad Fairooz, secretary general of Wefaq and a former member of Parliament in Bahrain, acknowledged that there had been contacts with Mr. Chalabi. “Mr Chalabi has helped us with contacts in Washington like other people have done and we thank them,” Mr. Fairooz said. "

Zionist logic about Arab monarchist dictatorships

2012-01-26T08:25:00.001-08:00

"Of the possible sources of legitimacy -- such as democracy, religion, monarchic succession, or the creation of great prosperity -- they had none. " He forgot to add Israel. Their alliance with Israel gives them great legitimacy, right? (thanks Nabeel)

GCC alliance

2012-01-26T07:19:00.001-08:00

"Certain regional pressures may also apply against states wishing to reform, as the US political science professor As'ad AbuKhalil noted. AbuKhalil, who was invited to meet the emir of Qatar, subsequently wrotethat the latter informed him that political advances in one Gulf state couldn't exceed political advances in another. Today, Bahrain's parliament is almost devoid of opposition voices after the main opposition party decided to boycott post-crackdown elections, bringing the once-vibrant parliament in line with its Gulf peers." (thanks Sultan)

Dumb and Dumber

2012-01-26T07:01:00.002-08:00

"controversial"

2012-01-26T07:01:00.000-08:00

It was explained to me that the reason why University of Leeds required security is that I was considered a "controversial speaker". What is controversial about me, damn it?

Women wearing Hijabs

2012-01-26T06:58:00.001-08:00

You notice it. Women wearing Hijabs in the UK walk much more confidently than women wearing Hijabs in the US.

The Lebanese Upper class: a reason for having a bloody revolution in Lebanon

2012-01-26T06:57:00.000-08:00

Tell that bar owner: your idea of fun, is so disgusting like all your ideas of fun. "A bar in the neighborhood of Gemmayzeh has canceled an event, originally scheduled for this Friday, which invited guests to dress up as migrant domestic workers for the chance to win $100. Event details encouraged bar-goers to, “this Friday night, be Sinkara or Milenga ... be Soumatra or Domma ... create your own maid costume, speak like them and look like a Philippino [sic], Bengladish [sic], Sri Lanka [sic] or any maid you want and definitely win 100 U.S. dollars in cash.” The details of the event were originally posted late Tuesday evening on the bar’s Facebook group. A Lebanese organization, the Anti-Racism Movement, then reposted the event on its blog, which soon drew much online criticism. The owner of the bar then removed all details of the event. Speaking to The Daily Star Wednesday, the owner denied that the event was in any way racist. “You just put on a costume, it was supposed to be for fun. Some people misunderstood it and thought it was racist.” (thanks Raed)

The US/Israeli conspiracy

2012-01-26T00:18:00.000-08:00

Comrade Bassam Haddad is right: it is not a conspiracy anymore because it is out in the open. But just notice: the comprehensive systems of sanctions and isolation being simultaneously imposed on Syria and Iran. I mean, are there fools out there who really believe that US motives are about democracy and respect for the Syrian and Iranian populations? There is a whole plot out there by US/Israel and some fools even think that the plot is about their "liberation."

Lousy Syrian National Council

2012-01-26T00:13:00.001-08:00

The lousy Syrian National Council issued a silly proclamation to the Lebanese people. In it, it said not one word about the abuse of Syrian workers in Lebanon. Who wrote this silly piece? Propagandists of Mini-Hariri? It has their tone and language.

The spoiled brats of Arab rulers

2012-01-26T00:08:00.001-08:00

So the son of the Mauritanian president shot his Moroccan girlfriend.

Plagiarism on Al-Manar TV

2012-01-26T00:03:00.001-08:00

Al-Manar had to admit that it aired and published plagiarized reports on CIA operations in Lebanon.

Press freedoms around the world

2012-01-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

Something is wrong with some of the ranking: when it comes to the Middle East, you can always expect major screw ups. I mean, who can agree with them that press "freedoms" in Saudi Arabia are better than in Egypt? Even under Mubarak, for potato's sake. Were those who did the classification smoking something illegal? And was the chart brought to you by Saudi Airlines?

PS US ranked 47.

Greenwald on American injustice

2012-01-25T23:57:00.000-08:00

"The Rules of American Justice are quite clear:

(1) If you are a high-ranking government official who commits war crimes, you will receive full-scale immunity, both civil and criminal, and will have the American President demand that all citizens Look Forward, Not Backward.

(2) If you are a low-ranking member of the military, you will receiverelatively trivial punishments in order to protect higher-ranking officials and cast the appearance of accountability.

(3) If you are a victim of American war crimes, you are a non-person with no legal rights or even any entitlement to see the inside of a courtroom.

(4) If you talk publicly about any of these war crimes, you have committed the Gravest Crime — you are guilty of espionage – and will have the full weight of the American criminal justice system come crashing down upon you." (thanks Robert)

Armed gangs of the Syrian National Council

2012-01-25T23:48:00.000-08:00

In condemning violence in Syria, the report of the Arab League monitors make it clear: that there are Shabbihah (armed thugs) belonging to the regime and to the Syrian National Council, under different names. Of course, primary responsibility of the violence falls on the regime itself because it has the primary legal responsibility to protect citizens--from itself or from others.

Salutations to my comrades at the University of Edinburgh

2012-01-25T23:47:00.000-08:00

"After public pressure from students and campaigners The University of Edinburgh has decided to end a proposed a deal with Bahrain’s Ministry of Education. The deal was announced by The Bahrain News Agency at the beginning of January but The University of Edinburgh came under immediate pressure for going into partnership with an oppressive Government." (thanks Fawzi)

Adelson and Gingrich

2012-01-25T23:45:00.000-08:00

"He's a Zionist/neocon/right-wing Israel hawk. Much of Adelson's political activity is devoted to boosting the right-wing Israeli line, both in Israel and the U.S. He donated a posh new headquarters to AIPAC, the Israel lobby in Washington, though he reportedly feuded with the organization over activities he saw as unduly pro-Palestinian. He has given $25 million to Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust memorial organization, and $100 million to Birthright, the organization that takes young American Jews on free trips to Israel to bolster their loyalty to the Jewish state. Adelson opposes a two-state solution or any accommodation of Palestinians. When Gingrich recently stirred controversy by referring to the Palestinians as "an invented people," Adelson praised the remark to a Birthright group, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. In Israel, Adelson started a free daily newspaper known for its relentless drumbeat of support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other right-wing politicians. The paper, Israel Hayom, has been called "the Fox News of Israel." Adelson's millions of dollars in contributions have purchased access to the highest reaches of the GOP -- during the Bush administration, for example, he hosted both President Bush and Vice President Cheney in his home -- and he has used it principally to push for a hard line on Israel." (thanks Basim)

The new Speaker of the Egyptian parliament responds to the speaker of the Israeli occupation Knesset

2012-01-25T23:43:00.000-08:00

The new Egyptian speaker wrote this on Twitter:

د/ محمد سعد الكتاتنى (@SaadElKatatny)
1/25/12 10:37 PM
رفضت اليوم تسلم خطاب تهنئة أرسل إلى من "رؤوفين ريفلين" رئيس الكنيست الإسرائيلى يدعونى لزيارة الكيان الصهيونى "إسرائيل"وإلقاء خطبة فى الكنيست
(Today, I refused to receive a letter of congratulation from the speaker of the Israeli knesset,

Reuven Rivlin, in which she asked me to visit the Zionist entity and to deliver a speech in the Knesset.) (thanks Farah)

Bhutto cult

2012-01-25T23:30:00.001-08:00

So the Bhutto cult is now full-fledged, like the Hariri cult in Lebanon. The Bhuttos wanted a special tribunal for the assassination but the US said no: it did not serve the interests of Israel. (thanks Sultan)

Court of the occupation

2012-01-25T23:26:00.000-08:00

This is hilarious: "Israel’s Supreme Court is the body that provides checks and balances to the country’s executive and legislative powers, upholding constitutional standards. Over the years the court has gained a reputation as one of the most judicially active, human rights-oriented courts in the world." "Gained a reputation" where? In Zionist circles? (thanks "Ibn Rushd")

Bob Bashshar Al-Asad

2012-01-25T23:17:00.001-08:00

Hafidh Al-Asad junior must be furious with his parents. His name is now so uncool and will for sure want to change it soon. I won't be surprised if Hafidh Al-Asad henceforth is known as Bob Al-Asad--anything to distract attention from the legacy of the name.

Syrian regime and Saudi Arabia

2012-01-25T23:16:00.000-08:00

Today, Al-Watan and Tishrin carried criticisms (rather mild) of Saudi Arabia. This is a first, if my memory serves me correctly. But it is still very little for a situation when the Syrian regime blames all of its problems on a conspiracy that we all know is led by Saudi Arabia. The reason remains the same: the Asad regime still hopes for a last minute deal (under the table) with the House of Saud. Typical.

Syrian National Council

2012-01-25T23:12:00.000-08:00

Syrian National Council (just like the NATO transitional council in Libya) were too transparent about their service to GCC-US agendas before they even had the chance to get to power. In other words, in both cases, we did not have to wait for them to get to power to criticize them and to call for their overthrow. They created the conditions and justifications for their overthrow already. Down with the Ba`thist regime in Syria and down with a potential regime run by the Syrian National Council. My favorite part is this: the Syrian National Council fully adhere to the Syrian Asad regime's policies on the Golan: which has accomplished zero liberation of the territory.

analogy with Israel

2012-01-25T23:09:00.000-08:00

I reject any analogy between whatever the repressive Arab governments do against their own population with Israeli war crimes. What is the purpose of the comparison or the creation of an artificial scale of repression? It is irrelevant and invoking only aims at preparing the stage for normalization with Israel--to imply that just as Arab governments kill their own people, so does Israel. Analogy of this sort is rather sinister and should be seen as such. Israeli crimes against Palestinians and Arabs are unrelated to what Arab governments do: they are only related in that the US and Western governments helped set up oppressive rule in the region to preserve Israeli interests. This reminds me when the spoiled brats of Sabbah royal family in Kuwait dared to compare the occupation of Kuwait by Saddam's forces (lasting for a few months) to the plight of the Palestinians (of course, the Kuwaiti princes waited out the occupation in the fancy brothels of Europe. Arab regimes crimes can end with the overthrow of the regime, while the crimes of Israel don't end unless we achieve the dismantlement of Zionism in Palestine and the accomplishment of the demise of Israel. But enough of those analogies for potato's sake.

Qasim Sulaymani

2012-01-25T13:53:00.000-08:00

So Al-Arabiyyah (the news station of King Fahd's brother-in-law), invented a statement by the commander of the Quds Brigade of the Revolutionary Guards, Qasim Sulaymani. Within a day after the station invented the statement, there were several denials. Yet, Saudi and Hariri media are full of denunciations of the Sulaymani's invented statements. So Saudi media invent a story, and then asks Saudi propagandists and tools to respond. Welcome to the age of Saudi media. Even the new lousy Aljazeera Arabic does not stoop to this level.

Arab League monitors

2012-01-25T13:46:00.001-08:00

My latest post for Al-Akhbar English.

Zionism is racism, always

2012-01-25T13:42:00.001-08:00

"The Israeli “satire” show Latma TV produces an animated cartoon that depicts African people as apes. Latma TV – a tax-exempt project of the US-based Center for Security Policy – has become notorious for its racist videos, including one which spread a libel that Muslim men were responsible for a “rape epidemic” in Norway. The main character of the Latma TV cartoons is a baboon called “Professor Na’or Lobongelo” who is described as a “lecturer in political science at the University of Tel-Zanav, a small corner of light and intelligence in the jungle that surrounds us.” He gives lectures to other dancing, screaming apes. In the episode above, he describes himself and his audience as “enlightened baboons” as he caricatures the position of Israeli liberals who oppose the deportation of non-Jewish children, born to migrants, many from Africa." (thanks Electronic Ali)

The people want economic uprisings

2012-01-25T13:38:00.001-08:00

"For this reason, the coming period is extremely sensitive in countries that experienced revolutions. Today, working class and poor people in Tunis and Egypt find themselves for the first time confronting Muslim Brotherhood governments, draped in the cloth of revolutionary legitimacy. Yet, these governments are, to some extent, products of the dominant classes and fully represent their interests. It may be more difficult now for workers to fight for their rights than when the “Muslim Brothers” were among the opposition. However, they will be spared the mirage of a “religious solution” as they watch the Islamists attempt to distract them with proclamations to uphold their “identity.” They will in fact be trying to divert workers’ attention from the “public interest” that Islamist claims to defend. In reality, these are the “interests of the rich” – those with or without beards."

Sample of Scottish Accent

2012-01-25T13:28:00.001-08:00

Of course, people are invited to mock my Arabic accent. I like the Scottish accent but it is not easy to decipher. Today, I had to ask a comrade to repeat his sentence three times to understand that he was saying "birthday" but it was pronounced Barthdaaay.

The lies of Saudi media

2012-01-25T13:26:00.000-08:00

Have people noticed how the lousy site of the lousy news station of King Fahd's brother-in-law is getting worse and worse? They have been regularly inventing stories and posting lies and fabrications as news. Look at this story about Egyptian writer, Muhammad Hasanyn Haykal: the headline says that "Haykal is accused of trickery and plagiarism", but when you read the article there is no evidence of that whatsoever. The story merely reports two reviews of his new book and neither had any serious charge of plagiarism or trickery. House of Saud has not gotten over their humiliation at the hands of Nasser. If only he lived longer (and if only he was not defeated in 1967): if only, if only, if only, if only etc.

University of Leeds

2012-01-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

For the first time on my tour, the University of Leeds was scared of my presence on campus. Security was put on alert, and guards with special vests were assigned around the building into the entrance to the hall. I, of course, expressed surprised. I explained that the "Angry Arab" title was intended ironically--especially that British people accuse Americans of not having an appetite for irony. I had to reassure people that I am not unnice. I was told that University of Leeds has the biggest Zionist presence of any other British campus, so that could be the reason. There was one disruptive Zionist in the audience but I am a big boy.

Anthony Shadid on Abu Dhabi

2012-01-25T04:06:00.001-08:00

I am on a train to Leeds so I can't provide link. But Shadid wrote in his article on Abu Dhabi in the Times: "Taken together, they suggest that the region’s cultural axis could decisively shift from the capitals of Arab antiquity — Cairo, Baghdad and Damascus, Syria — to the improbable capitals of the arid Persian Gulf.". Are u serious? Are u not woefully overstating your case here?

Palestinian home demolitions

2012-01-24T23:58:00.000-08:00

"The Abu Omar and Shawamreh families’ land is situated in the Occupied West Bank town of Anata, in what is known as “Area C”, meaning it is under complete Israeli military control. Palestinians are almost never granted building permits by the Israeli authorities, and therefore are forced to build or expand their homes “illegally”. This is the most common reason given by the Israeli authorities for house demolitions. However, as an occupying force, Israel doesn’t have the legal right to grant nor deny permits as it is not entitled under International Law to conduct civil planning." (thanks Reem)

Who is dumb?

2012-01-24T23:55:00.000-08:00

The Jordanian potentate is regularly asked in the Western media to pontificate about the "Arab spring". Who is dumber in this equation? The potentate who is facing growing protests against his rule or the Western media who regard him as if he is a freely elected ruler?

Obama on Israel

2012-01-24T23:48:00.001-08:00

"Our iron-clad commitment to Israel’s security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history." (thanks Nikolai)

There are two non-democracies in the Middle East, only

2012-01-24T23:45:00.001-08:00

Read the full text of Obama's speech. What do you conclude: that there are only two regimes, Syria and Iran, which are not democracies. Those who wrote the speech really leave the impression that the rest of the regimes (US clients) are full fledgling democracies.

What is the life of 24 Iraqis worth in a US court?

2012-01-24T23:41:00.001-08:00

"Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich will not serve a jail sentence following his guilty plea in the killing of 24 Iraqis in 2005, a military judge said Tuesday."

Somebody needs to tell Amnesty International that colonial times are behind us--at least in name

2012-01-24T23:38:00.000-08:00

This is colonial feminism. Amnesty International has asked--look at their audacity--Egyptian political parties to sign a political declaration on women's right. Now my views on this are known, but what business does Amnesty have and who do they think they are? Would Amnesty dare ask, say, the Republican Party in the US to sign a political document to commit to women's right? Not in a million years. "Most of the biggest Egyptian political parties have committed to delivering ambitious human right reform in the country’s transition, but have either given mixed signals or have flatly refused to sign up to ending discrimination, protecting women’s rights and to abolishing the death penalty, Amnesty International said today. Ahead of parliamentary elections which began in November, Amnesty asked political parties running in Egypt’s elections to sign a “human rights manifesto” containing ten key measures to signal that they were serious about delivering meaningful human rights reform."

New Rulers

2012-01-24T23:35:00.000-08:00

The "new" rulers in Arab countries are worried about protests--just like the old rulers. Even the Tunisian president, Munsif Al-Marzuqi, spoke against protesters and strikes and "the far left". In Egypt, the Egyptian military ruler said that he ends the state of emergency except in those cases that the council thinks they should apply to them. Mustafa Abdul-NATO keeps warning against protests in Libya. Arab Uprisings are far from being concluded: they have just begun.

W.M. Watt Collection at the University of Edinburgh

2012-01-24T23:15:00.000-08:00

So after trying to complete the forms necessary for obtaining permission to check the private collection of W.M. Watt at the University of Edinburgh, I was able to secure the necessary permission. My host escorted me to the library where we were allowed to go through the various doors and barriers. We then asked the reference librarian to guide us to the collection. We were then told that they are not available because they are in the process of being moved from one place to another and that a special hard hat would be required to go there, but that it requires an advance notice.

Having said that, I really really enjoyed the crowd of students at University of Edinburgh. I really liked the chemistry of the students there. They were most informed and most engaged. I had fun. And the Edinburgh Castle is a must see--I really don't like to say "must see" and this may be the first time I ever use that term.

Who is covering Libya?

2012-01-24T23:12:00.001-08:00

Where is Libya in Western media coverage? Who will report the nightly clashes between the NATO war militias? Who has reported on the demonstration at the main university against the deputy to Mustafa Abdul-NATO who was forced to resign? The students there remember him as an advocate of the Qadhdhafi regime and they bravely insisted on his removal. Abdul-NATO is now scared for his own safety but he does not answer to himself: he answers to those powers that put him in place.

Arab League plan for Syria

2012-01-24T23:03:00.000-08:00

The situation has officially become crazy. GCC plans for change in Arab countries guarantee that popular demands of the opposition are not met. How could Haytham Al-Manna` who I respect support such a plan when it basically preserves the regime and merely removes Bashshar? The Ba`thist regime would basically stay in power. GCC countries and those powers behind them just want to bring in a more dependable potentate. GCC AND US aborted the Yemen uprising--which was one of the most courageous and daring movement in the region. Let us hear people say it again: they want the overthrow of the regime, and not some half measures or some games that people with foreign agendas want to play at the expense of people's aspirations. Remember that US plan for Iraq was originally for one of Saddam's colleagues to take over power. They prefer in all cases to keep the regimes in power. But for any Syrian opposition group to agree to such a plan is merely another proof that they can't claim to represent the Syrian people: they are no more than tools of GCC.

Arab monitors' report

2012-01-24T08:33:00.000-08:00

Has the New York Times reported on the findings of the Arab League monitors' report? Because the Arab (Saudi and Qatari) report on the criticisms of the report and less on the report itself, which has not been published in full, I am told. I am asking because I have been traveling in trains across UK.

The comedy thickens

2012-01-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

"The past year has seen people take to the streets across the Middle East and North Africa to demand an end to tyranny and oppression and as a result, unprecedented regime change has taken place across the region. Less known is the extent to which the protesters were influenced by the 83-year-old political scientist, Dr Gene Sharp. His book From Dictatorship to Democracy has previously been utilised as a blueprint by democratic movements from Serbia, to the Ukraine, Guatemala to Indonesia, in their fight to overthrow oppressive regimes " How dumb do you have to be to really believe that Gene Sharp actually inspired the Arab uprisings? The answer: very dumb indeed. (thanks Nir)

PS Nir has also been inspired by Gene Sharp in his personal revolts.

Hamah massacre: 30 years later

2012-01-24T01:06:00.001-08:00

A reader sent me this: "I see on facebook that many Syrian are ready to commemorate the memory of the hama massacre after 30 years ... I wonder why they forget to commemorate the 29 previous anniversaries."

T E Lawrence

2012-01-24T00:47:00.001-08:00

A Syrian comrade sent me this: "About the most contemptible character in my youth was T. E. Lawrence, and time did not mellow my dislike of this 'clever dick' even after I learnt that he really was psychologically very disturbed from a thoroughly researched book published by Philip Knightly and a colleague I cannot remember his name. I believe both were on the staff of the Sunday Times, when reading the Sunday Times was not self immolation for the sake of the Murdoch! Recently, I cam across a book by صبحي العمري. This Iraqi person joined the Arab revolt in its early phases. He was even mistaken in the UK press for being Lawrence - and of course, Lawrence did not oblige with a correction! Later in life he did sell his sole, and was sentenced by the Syrian Military Tribunal in the famous Stone Plot - for a long prison sentence. I am not sure he served all of it, or any of it. He wrote a book about this Lawrence character. If you are so inclined, I would be happy to email it. I have it on my home machine and I am at work at the moment. Lawrence was a relative of G B Shaw - probably through his mother. He made quite an entry in the literary salons with his Seven Pillars. But the book made him really quite famous in England when its Empire began giving way to the richer and more powerful US. The book was received in exactly this sense, and its literary value was a validating 'bonus' - just as that by Winston Churchill about his exploits in the Boer War which catapulted him into the political limelight for the next half a century."

Meet the new Egyptian MPs

2012-01-23T23:16:00.000-08:00

This picture is circulating widely among Arabs. (Reuters)

PS I refuse to concede that the fat cats of the corrupt Mubarak regime looked any better in parliament. At least those have better legitimate credentials than the Mubarak MPs.

Less than 3 months for killing 24 unarmed Iraqis

2012-01-23T22:56:00.000-08:00

"Prosecutors and defense attorneys in the court-martial of Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, accused in the killing of 24 unarmed Iraqis in 2005, announced an agreement Monday to settle the case. Wuterich will plead guilty to a single count of negligent dereliction of duty. Other charges were dropped. No announcement was made on what kind of discharge Wuterich would receive. The maximum sentence is three months in the brig. That decision will be made by the judge."

Mubarak: the anti-Semite (like all Arab friends of Israel)

2012-01-23T22:47:00.000-08:00

This is the fifth part of the serialized book by Muhammad Hasanayn Haykal on Husni Mubarak. It has the best insights about the dumb personality of the man. In this part, Mubarak explains his views of Israel and Jews and says that he is compelled to have relations with Israel because "the Jews run the entire world." This should not be surprising: I have pointed out before that almost all of the few Arab friends of Israel are anti-Semites. Anwar Sadat was an unrepentant Nazi anti-Semite. But Zionists never really care about anti-Semitism from friends of Israel. Their standards on the subject are purely political. They disregard anti-Semitism of supporters of friends of Israel, and they falsely attribute anti-Semitism to opponents of the state of Israel.

The Case Against Israel

2012-01-23T22:23:00.001-08:00

Here is a video of my talk at Oxford University.

Syrian Council: cheering the Saudi king

2012-01-23T14:17:00.001-08:00

Syrian National Council thanks Saudi government and tells Saudi foreign minister that its masses are chanting for the Saudi King in Syria. And you want me to support those clowns in the council? Are you kidding me? Those are to revolution what Sa`d Hariri is to science (or to social science) or what House of Saud are to feminism or what Walid Jumblat is to principles--any principles.

Freedom of Speech: US versus UK

2012-01-23T14:15:00.000-08:00

My latest blog post for Al-Akhbar English.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom

2012-01-23T13:56:00.000-08:00

I do recommend reading that book. It is so well--written. I reread it on the plane to UK: I read it mostly for its literary quality. The man is often racist but with a flare: he insults but in such a flowery language.

A Syrian with a Scottish accent

2012-01-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

After my talk at the University of Glasgow, a Syrian student asked me a question about Syria. After he was finished, I had to say this: Are you from Syria, I asked? He said: yes. I said: I have to admit that I was distracted a bit during your question (which I will answer), but I am very amused to hear an Arab speak with a thick Scottish accent. I told him that this should be on Youtube.

Scottish nationalism

2012-01-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

There is a special feel and flavor in Scotland. You feel it. It made me more understanding of nationalism here.

PS Beware. Scottish version of the UK currency may not be accepted in some places in London.

That famous breaded and fried Mars bar in Scotland

2012-01-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

To be fair to the people in Scotland, frying a breaded Mars bar is no more fashionable but they are willing to do one for tourists.

L'Orient-Le Jour on the poor torturer-war criminal

2012-01-23T08:54:00.001-08:00

""Interrogé récemment le visage flouté par la deuxième chaîne de télévision, "Captain George" avait nié avoir torturé Moustapha Dirani et affirmé qu'il avait toujours agi en obéissant aux ordres de ses supérieurs. "Mes supérieurs m'ont abandonné, je suis traité comme un bouc émissaire et depuis que je ne suis plus dans l'armée, je n'ai pas réussi à trouver du travail", a-t-il affirmé pour justifier sa demande de dommages et intérêts auprès de l'armée et du ministère de la Défense"" (thanks "Ibn Rushd")

UK university bureaucracy

2012-01-23T05:48:00.000-08:00

So I asked my hosts at University of Edinburgh to allow me to visit the private collection and papers of W. M. Watt, whose writings on Islam have been part of my education over the years even when I disagreed with them (I wrote very unfavorably about one of his last hostile works "Islamic Fundamentalism and Modernity"). So my host wrote me back that he would be able to get me a guest pass but then wrote me this (I asked his permission to quote in full and he agreed and was amused):
"So we've got word back from the library and you may have to deal with more of that famous British bureaucracy. They're asking that you have a passport/driving license, a passport sized photo (which I suppose we could get from a shop or stall in the city if you like) and 'proof of address', such as a bank statement, utility bill, or letter of invitation from a University department. That last one is probably something you don't have on you, so I'll see if I can get my department to write you up one today. Could you send on your (permanent) address so we could put it on the top of the letter? Apologies for all this, just seems to be the way they go about things.

Hope to hear from you,"

Arab media

2012-01-23T04:04:00.000-08:00

So the Sudanese head of the Arab League monitoring team made comments to the press about his mission: you go to the Arab (Saudi and Qatari) media and you fond attacks on him but you won't find what he said. These are the rules of the dynastic media of the Arab potentates.

Bathing in Medieval England

2012-01-23T02:33:00.000-08:00

Read about it in The Time's Traveller's Guide to Medieval England.

Haykal on Mubarak

2012-01-23T01:49:00.000-08:00

I strongly recommend that you read the serials from the new book by Muhammad Hasanyn Haykal on Husni Mubarak. They really shed new light on his rise in the Sadat era and his method of operation. They are being serialized in As-Safir and Ash-Shuruq.

Syrian National Council

2012-01-23T01:18:00.000-08:00

Syrian National Council has taken a historic decision. It said that it won't only ask for Arab League intervention followed by UN Security Council intervention. It said that it has now called on military forces from other planets to participate in a universal military intervention in Syria. All eyes are on Mars now.

Tantawi kissing Mubarak

2012-01-23T00:38:00.001-08:00

(thanks "Ibn Rushd")

From Beirut to Jerusalem

2012-01-23T00:37:00.001-08:00

This is pre-1967. (thanks Farah)

From an American student of Arabic

2012-01-23T00:35:00.000-08:00

She sent me this but she does not want to be identified: "I am a frequent reader of your website and often agree with your posts. I especially commend your coverage of Palestine and the Zionist occupation. However, I did not enjoy reading your post about European students of Arabic 'faring so much better than American counterparts.' I also went to Georgetown and just graduated last May. I think Georgetown produces the best undergraduate students in Arabic in America, at least given the success of our students in study abroad programs in the Middle East (Georgetown is disproportionately represented in study-abroad locales like Jordan and Egypt). I am currently working in X and my Arabic far exceeds the other internationals I work with (many of whom studied at SOAS and other European institutions). My Palestinian friends and coworkers are often surprised that I can speak/read/write, because most internationals here claim they 'know' arabic and then cannot string a sentence together in 3aamya. I am not fluent, but it is feasible that within a year or two, I will attain fluency. And I owe much of my knowledge to the strong basis in grammar I received as an undergraduate at Georgetown.

Basically, I wish to point out that yes, you may have met several Americans who suck at Arabic, but I assure you that there are Americans who are more than capable of speaking and writing fluently in Fus7a and various Arabic dialects. I guess your post also struck a nerve since so many of the British/French/Australians here are quick to malign American education and Americans abroad in general, of course adding the addendum "You are not the typical American, Michelle." Of course these are the same foreigners who are unable to integrate into their host societies and end up not making any effort to improve their minimal Arabic skills.

When it comes down to it, I think language acquisition and mastery depends on each individual's skills and personal motivation."

PS (now Angry Arab speaking here) I, of course, fully agree with the last sentence. Of course, I never intended to generalize about all Americans. Some of those Americans whose Arabic is excellent (or those whose Arabic is not excellent) are friends of mine. But I was making a generalization based on my impression. I received many responses to this post I wrote. One person also made a good point about the tendency of American universities to send their students to Cairo--instead of Yemen or Syria, for example--where people tend to converse in English mostly. Another colleague at Oxford also commented that British and European universities tend to send the students as undergraduates to the Middle East to practice the language, unlike in US universities where travel happen in graduate years.

They want Shari`ah

2012-01-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

NATO Bin Ladenite rebels want Shari`ah in Libya. When asked about their inspiration, they still insisted that it was Gene Sharp.

Haytham Al-Manna`

2012-01-23T00:27:00.000-08:00

The courageous Syrian dissident, Haytham Al-Manna` (whose leftist brother, Husayn `Uwaydat, was shot in his mouth by goons of the Syrian regime early on because they go after the capable leftist leaders first) gives an interview (the link to its origin has expired) and he categorically rejects foreign intervention. (thanks Blanche)

Amal Movement

2012-01-23T00:22:00.000-08:00

The worst ministers in Lebanese history are those of the Amal Movement. I mean, if you pick ministers by lottery, chances are they will be superior to those of the Amal movement. Yesterday in the Arab League meeting, Saudi foreign minister mocked the Lebanese government stance while the Amal foreign minister smiled stupidly.

Bashshar

2012-01-23T00:20:00.000-08:00

What annoys the hell out of me is that Bashshar still acts like his relationship with Saudi Arabia is more than excellent. His propagandists in Lebanon and Syria even absolves Saudi Arabia from any responsibility in what is happening in Syria: they only blame Qatar. I dont think it is entirely foolishness and ignorance: there is plenty of that, but Bashshar still hopes for a deal under the table with the Saudi regime.

Friday of the Declaration of Jihad

2012-01-23T00:18:00.000-08:00

Al-Quds Al-Arabis (the Qatari-funded newspaper which is fiercely opposed to the Syrian regime) reports that there is a debate about the name of the next Friday of protests in Syria: Salafites want to name it the Friday of the Declaration of Jihad and the March 14 liberals of Syria disagree. I remember only few months ago when people of the March 14 stripes and their supporters in the West were arguing with me whether 1) there are armed groups in Syria; 2) whether the fundamentalists are dominant or even present in the uprising. I remember that some were arguing with me that the entire uprising is the work of feminists and secularists.

an Israeli connection

2012-01-23T00:12:00.000-08:00

"One aspect of Newt Gingrich’s much-scrutinized history with his second wife Marianne Gingrich that does not seem to have been much noted is this:
During much of the time she was married to Newt, Marianne Gingrich was employed by a company that promoted Israeli exports, called the Israel Export Development Council (IEDC), with an office in Florida. Her boss and the counsel for the Israel Export Development Council was an attorney named David Yerushalmi. Yerushalmi has more recently emerged onto the public radar in a totally different context: as the prime mover behind the anti-shariah movement in the United States, as reported on by the New York Times' Andrea Elliott last July. Marianne Gingrich’s ties to Yerushalmi emerged last month in reports on a previously secret FBI bribery investigation dating back to the 1990s. " (thanks Nader)

Saudi media and Iran

2012-01-23T00:07:00.000-08:00

A Gulf journalist who does not want to be identified sent me this: "Anyway, your post about al Arabiyya reminded me about a conversation I had last year with a Saudi journalist for the channel. He is in no way disloyal to Aal Saud and doesn't oppose their foreign policy. He was telling me that most of the orders about coverage on Iran come "from above". I asked if he meant from the owners and he said no, from the government. He said there was more government involvement in Al Arabiyya than most people think, and that journalists often get frustrated for being forced to exaggerate news on Iran, or not give it the kind of scrutiny that other news gets. Similarly, when I was in Libya last year we constantly heard complaints from humans rights organisations about al Arabiyya's false reporting on the humans rights abuses by Gaddafi loyalists. If it serves the agenda, it can be invented."

Palestinian children in Israeli jails

2012-01-23T00:04:00.000-08:00

"Most are accused of throwing stones at soldiers or settlers; some, of flinging molotov cocktails; a few, of more serious offences such as links to militant organisations or using weapons. They are also pumped for information about the activities and sympathies of their classmates, relatives and neighbours. At the beginning, nearly all deny the accusations. Most say they are threatened; some report physical violence. Verbal abuse – "You're a dog, a son of a whore" – is common. Many are exhausted from sleep deprivation. Day after day they are fettered to the chair, then returned to solitary confinement. In the end, many sign confessions that they later say were coerced. These claims and descriptions come from affidavits given by minors to an international human rights organisation and from interviews conducted by the Guardian. Other cells in Al Jalame and Petah Tikva prisons are also used for solitary confinement, but Cell 36 is the one cited most often in these testimonies. Between 500 and 700 Palestinian children are arrested by Israeli soldiers each year, mostly accused of throwing stones. Since 2008, Defence for Children International (DCI) has collected sworn testimonies from 426 minors detained in Israel's military justice system." (thanks Reem)

laughter in Iran

2012-01-22T10:55:00.000-08:00

Comrade Laleh sent me this on my post about Iranian government banning laughter: "They already did. Knomeini was notoriously against laughter and happiness and issued several speeches about this (not fatwas though). Asef Bayat has a great article about why "fun" threatens the Islamic Republic."

Dumb Saudi media II

2012-01-22T10:53:00.000-08:00

Read what I wrote yesterday about the dumb Saudi media with particular reference to the news station of King Fahd's brother-in-law, Al-Arabiyyah. Today, they have another story: it attributes to--you guessed it--a "source" in the Revolutionary Guards that Hizbullah fighters have gone to Syria to protect Iranian bases. But what is most amusing about those dumb invented stories is this: why would the Revolutionary Guards select Saudi media to confide in them and give them exclusive--and highly damaging--"information" on Iran? This is like when Hizbullah fighters confide to the most hostile Western journalists. This trend is catching. Tomorrow, a "source" in the Revolutionary Guards "confide" to Al-Arabiyyah that they really really deserve to be bombed by US and Israel.

Trains

2012-01-22T04:36:00.001-08:00

I am in the train to Glasgow. US trains are far inferior to UK trains but UK trains are not comfortable and chairs don't recline. Personally, I still go for the traditional Arab method of travel: magic carpet. It sounds better in Arabic: we call it the wind carpet.

European students of Arabic

2012-01-21T13:27:00.000-08:00

For the life of me, I don't know why European students of Arabic fare so much better than American counterparts. I was talking to Kate yesterday: she teaches Arabic here at Oxford after finishing her undergradaute degree in Arabic. Her Arabic is excellent and she can easily conduct conversations in Arabic and in different accents. I mean, I know Americans with PhDs in Arabic with whom I cant really conduct a conversation. What gives?

The stupid lies of AlArabiyyah TV and their source

2012-01-21T13:23:00.000-08:00

Without a doubt, Saudi media are the dumbest on the planet. Without a doubt, Al-Arabiyyah TV (the news station of King Fadh's brother-in-law) is the dumbest of them all. They just make up stuff about Syria and Iran (that suits Saudi foreign policy) and run with them. Yesterday, they claimed that Sulaymani of Quds Force bragged that South Lebanon was under our influnce (he sent a denial but they did not bother with it, it seems). Today, they are claiming that an Iranian official basically threatens that Iran would kidnap Westerners in Lebanon and Syria. Who is their source? Oh, it is "a source". I kid you not. Kid you not. Tomorrow, the site has a new story: it will cite a "source" in the Revolutionary Guards telling AlArabiyyah that "we are terrorists and the world should bomb us." More later.

laughter

2012-01-21T13:17:00.001-08:00

I won't be surprised if the Islamic Republic of Iran eventually bans laughter.

NATO-Bin Laden gangs in Libya at war

2012-01-21T13:09:00.001-08:00

I wonder why no journalist ever asks those NATO rebels of their opinion of Bin Laden. You bet that they are all fans? There are reports that Mustafa Abdul-NATO has just resigned. He may be replaced by Ayman Al-Dhawahiri.

To my hosts at University of Edinburgh this week

2012-01-21T13:03:00.000-08:00

Since I don't know my hosts at the University of Edinburgh, is it possible to arrange for me to see the private book collection or papers of W.M. Watt? That would be great. By the way, people may not know that Hamilton Gibb did his undergraduate studies at Edinburgh and not at Oxford.

a student versus Oxford University

2012-01-21T12:59:00.001-08:00

"A student has sent her own rejection letter to a prestigious university criticising it for "intimidating" pupils from comprehensive school backgrounds during the interview process. Elly Nowell, from Winchester, Hampshire, wrote in her letter to Oxford University that using "grand formal settings" for the interviews allowed public school applicants to "flourish". The 19-year-old, who studied at Brockenhurst College, had applied to Magdalen College to read law (jurisprudence). Parodying a standard university rejection letter, she wrote: "I have now considered your establishment as a place to read Law (jurisprudence). "I very much regret to inform you that I will be withdrawing my application."

PS For US readers, "public schools" in the UK means private schools in the US.

Medieval England

2012-01-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

I finished reading a book on the history of England in Medieval times. I have reached this conclusion: I can only survive in medieval England if I am the king--provided I don't face the threat of beheading.

The poll in Syria is not credible

2012-01-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

"It is astonishing that you publish an article based on such poor evidence (Most Syrians back Assad, 18 January). We have no doubt that the Doha Debates are a respectable forum for dialogue, but in the poll Jonathan Steele quotes, 1,012 respondents completed the survey, with only 21% (211 respondents) from the Levant. Only 46% of those 211 were from Syria – that's about 97 respondents. How can this possibly be representative of Syrian opinion? And is it even possible to conduct an objective opinion poll in a tyranny ruled by fear, where expressing opinions freely can lead to arrest, torture, and even execution? " I, of course, agree that the poll is not credible and should not be taken as a measure of public opinion in Syria. But I am amused--not--that the write had to preface their remarks with a positive tribute to "respectable" Doha.

67%

2012-01-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

So 67% of the seats of the new Egyptian parliament goes to Islamists of various sorts and shades. You still wonder why elections have never been my priority, especially with the lack of control on foreign financing and campaign financing in those countries. I mean, for China to fund an American political candidate is unthinkable; yet, US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other countries freely support this candidate or that political party.

Oxford University

2012-01-21T12:33:00.000-08:00

Historically--if you read about the history of the university--the university has had intense hositiliy with the people of Oxford. Wars were fought in medieval times. You can still see that: the university (through its various colleges and departments) is extremely unwelcoming of the community. They have still walls and gates and checkpionts and they restrict exchanges between the community and the university. This is unlike the American univeristy: where is is (with exceptions) constructed as part of the community. The oldest American universities were formed on the same elitist principles.