"International outcry as US puts 1,000th person to death"

"Lifeline for victims of sexual aggression"

Don't try to intimidate the Palestinian people. A century of Zionist violence did not intimidate them.

Climbing to vote. Prevented from entering the voting room through the front door, Egyptian voters entered through the windows.

Learn your history. In his column in Al-Hayat, Jihad Al-Khazin (seen as the expert on the US in the Arabic press) tells the childhood story of George Washington when he cut the cherry tree (wait, was it a potato tree?) and refused to lie about it. The problem with that story is that it never took place, and new biographies of Washington and new history books don't report the story. We now know that it was made up, and we even know the name of the minister who invented the story in his biography of Washington in the 19th century.

At the border with Israel, and near an Israeli occupation post, a group of southern Lebanese set up a cardboard statue of Bush, fitted with missiles and a spear, and UNSC 1559.

Hariri's role in the formation of the Ottoman Empire. It was not given much publicity but the last meeting of the Lebanese cabinet decided to officially designate Rafiq Hariri as "one of the men of Lebanese independence". Those men are officially celebrated by the Lebanese state by virtue of their role in the mostly imaginary Lebanese "struggle for independence" in 1943, when Hariri was not even born. This is like the US suddenly deciding to designate Dan Quayle as one of "founding fathers".

`Allawi inspects the troops. So US troops arranged for their puppet Iraqi troops to hold a ceremony and parade at the Muthanna airport in Baghdad. And US troops decided to invite not the Minister of Defense or the Prime Minister but Iyad `Allawi (former puppet prime minister/car bomber/embezzler-in-Yemen/former Saddam's henchman). US troops asked him to be the "official" Iraqi present, and he observed and inspected the troops. Iraqi officials were furious. Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim Ja`fari described `Allawi's trick as "from the Ba`thist thought and from the thought of Michel `Aflaq and his party" in reference to the long career of `Allawi in the Ba`th party, and his current alliance with Ba`thists. Clearly, the US and Saudi Arabia are doing all what they can to boost the popularity of `Allawi. It is not amazing how far the Saudi government will go to please the US these days. If asked, they would be willing to establish an Israeli consulate inside the Ka`bah itself.

There is a new Western standard for Israel. With the formation of Sharon's new political party, it now will become the new standard for moderation. His party will now be seen as representative of "moderation" and "peace" in the Middle East. As Israeli political spectrum keeps moving rightwards, the standards of Western governments also move with it.

This legal document is the most devastating critique of the now embarrassingly weak Mehlis report. It is written by the lawyer of Jamil Sayyid, former director of Surete general in Lebanon. Of course, As-Sayyid may be innocent of the crime of Hariri's assassination but is indeed guilty of a major role in the oppressive Lebanese state setup after Ta'if.

They arrested her son (for demonstrating against the Israeli racist separation barrier), and then started beating her. This indeed is Zionism.

The Red Sphinx, c. 1912. Odilon Redon.

The last time `Adil Imam was funny was around the same time that Steve Martin was last funny. Sometimes in the 1970s.

This shows US ulterior motives in the Mehlis investigation. So why is Mehlis so loved by Bolton? It must be his professionalism knowing how much Bolton appreciates professionalism. And if this investigation is so "professional" and "neutral" why is Bolton so keen on keeping Mehlis? And Mehlis should not, assuming that he is "professional" and "neutral" and "apolitical"--and he is none of these things--have summoned reporters in Lebanon to reply to Husam Husam. Husam Husam was fine when he lied for the Hariri clan, and now he is rejected when he lies for the Syrian government. We did not see Mehlis calling on the press to respond to Husam's claims that he saw the white van.

"Two of America's allies in Iraq are withdrawing forces this month and a half-dozen others are debating possible pullouts or reductions, increasing pressure on Washington as calls mount to bring home U.S. troops." (But the 38 Macedonian soldiers will stay).

"Rumsfeld's order to end insurgency: Don't call it that"

"US military presence in Paraguay irks neighbors: The Pentagon denies desire for a permanent base, but there are many skeptics."

"Bush accused of 'recycling tired rhetoric'"

"But a new public opinion poll to be released tomorrow finds that 77 percent of those surveyed in six countries -- Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, all U.S. allies -- say Iraqis are worse off than before the war began in 2003. On democracy, 58 percent believe the U.S. intervention has produced less democracy in the region...Almost 70 percent said they do not believe democracy was the real U.S. goal in toppling Saddam Hussein."

"Titled "The Sands Are Blowing Toward a Democratic Iraq," an article written this week for publication in the Iraqi press was scornful of outsiders' pessimism about the country's future. Western press and frequently those self-styled 'objective' observers of Iraq are often critics of how we, the people of Iraq, are proceeding down the path in determining what is best for our nation," the article began. Quoting the Prophet Muhammad, it pleaded for unity and nonviolence. But far from being the heartfelt opinion of an Iraqi writer, as its language implied, the article was prepared by the United States military as part of a multimillion-dollar covert campaign to plant paid propaganda in the Iraqi news media and pay friendly Iraqi journalists monthly stipends, military contractors and officials said....One article about Iraq's oil industry opened with three paragraphs taken verbatim, and without attribution, from a recent report in Al Hayat, a London-based Arabic newspaper. But the military version took out a quotation from an oil ministry spokesman that was critical of American reconstruction efforts. It substituted a more positive message, also attributed to the spokesman, though not as a direct quotation."

"She copies. She sneaks and slithers past you with her opinion on a war that kills every day. Hillary Clinton is in favor of the war and of executions. Sensational! The other day, when Rep. John Murtha of Johnstown, Pa., called for a withdrawal from Iraq, and obviously did so with half the Pentagon behind him, Hillary said, no, we shouldn't pull out at this time. Oh, it would cause so much violence."

When Arabs accuse Israel of interferring in internal Arab affairs, they are mocked (by Western journalists and academics) as conspiracy theorists: "Former covert Israeli forces 'training Kurds in Iraq'

Look at the list of Iraqi political "groups" competing in the next Iraqi under-occupation-elections: basically, tribes, crooks, clans, sects, clerical associations, disguised Saddamists, spies, and others.

Israeli occupation soldiers (I would never call them "IDF") "operating in the West Bank town of Hebron on Wednesday arrested a reporter for the Web site of the Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera television station."

"Canada has decided to adopt a more pro-Israel stance in the United Nations regarding the Israeli-Arab conflict and to move closer to the positions of Israel and the United States."

"When people ask me why I don't teach permanently in the United States," Zizek remarked then, "I tell them that it is because American universities have this very strange, eccentric idea that you must work for your salary. I prefer to do the opposite and not work for my salary."

You tell me. Is this the uniform of a ruler or a clown? Also, tell me this while you are at it. How on earth did he earn all these medals? In what battles did he perform bravely? Was it when his "special forces" shot at demonstrators in Ma`an?

Egyptian voters enter the polling station from the windows after they were prevented entry from the front door by Egyptian police forces, who represent "the democracy" of Bush-Mubarak. The shootings and beatings of the Egyptian "election" fills the pages of Arabic newspapers, and yet the US government has not said a word about that. Could you imagine if this was in Venezuela for example? The US would have sent the Marines. Several Egyptian voters told Arab TV correspondents that in this round, the police would only allow those who carry the cards of the ruling party to vote.

The Lebanese government (with the support of Hizbullah and Amal) officially requested that the Mehlis investigation be extended for 6 more months. That only confirms my view that the Lebanese can't live or survive without international guardianship. A homeland that depends for its survival on international guardianship (different at different times), is no homeland. It is something else.

How dare they? A US soldier takes pictures of anti-US graffiti in Baghdad.

Several people have sent me this article in the last few days. It is an old article from 2001 published in Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat about an Israeli plan of assassinations in Lebanon (the names of Rafiq Hariri and Nabih Birri were mentioned). There is no way for me to verify the information contained in the article.

"Le clan Hariri aurait manipulé un témoin clé de l'enquête" (thanks Karim and Ziad)

"For misleading the American people, and launching the most foolish war since Emperor Augustus in 9 B.C sent his legions into Germany and lost them, Bush deserves to be impeached and, once he has been removed from office, put on trial along with the rest of the president's men. If convicted, they'll have plenty of time to mull over their sins." (thanks Ali)

Have you ever heard Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speak? I can't listen to him. He speaks in such a away as to lead me to gasp for air. Ya. He is the environmentalist activist who flies around the country in a private jet to urge people to use hydraulic cars.

La coquille, 1912. Odilon Redon.

"Leader of Badr Group Says U.S. Knew of Site" of torture (Of course, Badr is a militia, but pro-US militias in Iraq are called "groups.")

"A controversial oil exploration deal between Iraq's autonomy-minded Kurds and a Norwegian company got underway this week without the approval of the central government here, raising a potentially explosive issue at a time of heightened ethnic and sectarian tensions."

Hariri Inc is really nervous about the blow to their propaganda efforts from the account of Husam Husam. When he spoke in their favor, this members in the Syrian mukhabarat was credible. But when he spoke against them, his membership in the Syrian mukhabarat, discredited him in their eyes. Mehlis had to intervene yesterday to lend a helping hand to Hariri propaganda. He summoned a group of Lebanese journalists. He had to admit that indeed Husam was the "hooded witness" but that there are other important witnesses. But if you read the report, you find three major witness. Two are gone, and one is left. And Mehlis wants us to agree with him when he says: that Husam spoke the truth when he spoke in Lebanon, but lied when he spoke in Syria. You are either a liar or you are not. Figure it out Mehlis. But Hariri/Saudi propaganda is so effective. Hariri newspaper in Lebanon makes fun of Husam's nose, and Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat makes fun of his occupation.

How could you doubt that George W. Bush is making progress in Iraq when you read this: "For example, a national depot has been established north of Baghdad" He added that all countries attain freedom and democracy when they allow Office and Home Depot to open businesses. Hurray.

How could anybody doubt the brilliance of George W. Bush's intellect anymore: "Iraqis know their people, they know their language, and they know their culture." He did not explain whether the Chinese people know their language, but insisted that the French people can speak French on occasions.

"The United States and Israel have been exchanging frosty words as the countries compete to sell South Korea an early warning aircraft (EWA). A Korean defense ministry delegation, headed by the deputy defense minister in charge of acquisitions, is presently in Israel to discuss the deal, which would be worth more than $1 billion."

"the Pentagon has come up with an innovative solution to solving the problems in Iraq: buying good news. Using defence contractors or intermediaries posing as freelance reporters, the military has been paying Iraqi newspapers to publish stories written by a military propaganda unit lauding the US mission."

So what is the Kingdom of Oppression in Saudi Arabia like? "Far from the playboy image, royal family members work daily from morning until midnight. There is great wealth but it is spread to the people of the Kingdom: No income tax, free health care, free housing for the poor, and free education, including university." Is that not nice? Is that not sweet? I mean, I am willing to risk an amputation of a limb or even a public beheading to live in that Utopia? (thanks John)

"In a plea deal that infuriated the victim's family, a Suffolk Superior Court judge sentenced a distant member of the Saudi royal family to one year in a prison on Martha's Vineyard yesterday after he admitted driving drunk when he struck and killed Orlando Ramos on a downtown Boston street."

"The king's efforts were in trouble long before November 9, said Professor Marc Lynch in the Carnegie Arab Reform Bulletin. "After six years in power, King Abdullah had little to show for his frequent speeches about reform. His tenure had been characterised by a steady decline in freedoms ... Opinion polls reveal widespread alienation, with 80% in one survey [saying] they did not feel safe criticising the government in public,"