Tuesday, March 13, 2007

The American Left and the Middle East, Part X. MERIP magazine has a special feature on Shi`ites in the Middle East. The issue has a special section on Lebanon. The section features Elias Khuri (a founding leader of the Hariri-supported, Yasar Dimuqrati organization, which is an official member of the March 14th Movement), and Fawwaz Trabulsi (comrade Fawwaz is a neutral analyst--he supports neither March 14th nor March 8th Movement). So why did MERIP not present the political views of the March 8th Movement--after all, there is a deep conflict in Lebanon between the two sides. But as is well-known, and based on the standards of MERIP's official correspondent in Lebanon, Nicholas Blanford--who wrote a semi-official biography--hagiography, really--of the Hariri Inc--MERIP only covers "tele-genic" crowds in Lebanon. MERIP does not cover the rif-rafs.