Valentine's Day in Saudi Arabia

The Hariri Assassination Record

My weekly article in Al-Akhbar: "The Hariri Assassination Record: We are bored"

A big terrorist plot uncovered in Australia

"Omar Al-Kutobi, 24, and Mohammad Kiad, 25, were allegedly about to kill or harm a member of the public with a knife as part of a terrorist attack".

PS I wonder. Was it about a parking space as well?

Defense spending worldwide

Arab media

This article on Arab media in the Economist is rather hilarious. It started the article by saying that the TV news station Al-Arab (it does not mention that it is owned by Prince Al-Walid and it doesnt mention that the director, Khashuqji, is a long-time propagandist for various Saudi princes) represented the hope of Arab people.  All the people cited are right-wingers or supporters of Gulf regimes.  Hilarious.

When US fights terrorism

"But on Dec. 28, the bakery’s delivery was late and he missed the prayers at sundown. Religious police arrested Na’us, a father of five in his 50s, and ordered him to spend one night in prison. It was his last.  At 7:20 p.m., a U.S. airstrike leveled al Bab’s al Saraya government center. Townspeople say dozens of people, including Na’us, died in the strike. U.S. officials, while acknowledging the strike, deny that any civilians died."

Syrian rebels call on Israel to bomb Syria

"Syrian rebels, whose forces are fighting against a new offensive in the South by the axis of the Syrian Army, Hezbollah, and Iran, is calling on Israel to attack their positions. An Israeli Druse who is in frequent contact with the Syrian opposition said that the warning came to alert the IDF, before the axis is able to take the Syrian Golan that borders Israel."

Israel backers celebrate death of ISIS hostage Kayla Mueller

"Hardline supporters of Israel are expressing joy over the death of 26-year-old humanitarian aid worker and sometime Palestine solidarity activist Kayla Mueller, who was killed while in captivity of Islamic State last week."

Cruelty of the US government

"Let me introduce you to the world’s most powerful terrorist recruiting sergeant: a US federal agency called the office of the comptroller of the currency. Its decision to cause a humanitarian catastrophe in one of the poorest, most troubled places on Earth could resonate around the world for decades. Last Friday, after the OCC had sent it a cease-and-desist order, the last bank in the United States still processing money transfers to Somalia closed its service." "Remittances from the Somalian diaspora amount to $1.2bn-$1.6bn a year, which is roughly 50% of the country’s gross national income, and on which 40% of the population relies for survival." (thanks Amir)

Ashton Kutcher

Was finally confirmed as Secretary of Defense.

"Wake Forest stands by its Muslim chaplain"

"In November, someone placed a container of urine outside Griggs’ office.

Students then led a campaign to leave flowers outside his door, said Katie Neal,a spokesperson for the university; she sent a photo from that time.  “There’s so much fear out there,” she said, “that it’s important that people understand the importance of inter-faith collaboration.”" (thanks Michaelle)

Bob Simon

Rami Kamal Adwan (the son of Palestinian Fath commander, Kamal `Udwan, who was murdered by Israeli terrorists in 1973 in Verdun, Beirut) wrote this on Bob Simon on Facebook. I am reproducing with Rami's permission: "Bob Simon from CBS died in a car crash. My personal experience with him was when he visited our house in 2001 in the aftermath of 9/11. He was preparing a 60 minutes episode to "shed light on extra judicial murders and how indiscriminate they can be covering cases including among others Israel's assassination of my father Kamal Adwan". After airing it, the theme turned out to be whether the U.S. Should learn from "Israel success in eliminating terrorists" to target president Saddam Hussein.  To prepare a story, he misrepresented himself, lied, and manipulated inhumanly our family's story. When I asked him then about where he thought the Arab Israeli conflict was headed, he said the absence of peace was destined to culminate in an apocalyptic end , 9/11 being it."   I will say this about Bob Simon: while he was more willing than most mainstream journalists in the US to air some mildly critical segments about Israel, he was still part of the mainstream media who could not deviate from the Zionist narrative on Palestine. But while he was a correspondent in occupied Palestine for CBS, his reports were rather more critical of Israel than other correspondents, I have to say. But he would always feel the pressure and then prepare a pro-Israel report--they call propaganda for Israel "balance" in the US.

Naseer Aruri died

I was very sorry to hear that Naseer Aruri died.  I have known Naseer since my student days in Washington, DC at Georgetown.  He asked me in 1985 to write something about "the War of the Camps" which was raging between the Amal Movement (and behind it the Syrian regime) and the Palestinian organizations in the camp.  It was published by the AAUG ("Understanding the War of the Camps"), which he and Edward Said and others had founded after 1967, and it helped organize the political activism on Palestine on college campuses in the wake of the 1967 defeat.  In my early years in the US, my very strong criticisms of Arafat rankled this older generation of Palestinian-Americans who were at that point quite sympathetic to Arafat.  Later on after Oslo, Naseer and Edward and many others became quite critical of Arafat.  Naseer was a kind, gentle, polite, honest, and principled man.  Those qualities were often mistaken for moderation but he was quite uncompromising about the liberation of Palestine and the restoration of Palestinian rights.  After his retirement from the University of Massachusetts, at Dartmouth he became--I felt--concerned about the future of Arab-American activism on college campuses and was aware that members of his generation were either retiring or dying.  He expressed a desire that Joseph Massad and I would take over AAUG or that we would lead on behalf of another (next) generation. But neither Joseph nor I are suited for organizational roles--I think.  Only a few years ago, I gave a talk in his town at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and he invited me to his house where I met his wife (she is of Lebanese descent) and we discussed swimming, I remember.  Naseer will be missed and I offer my condolences to his wife and children and grandchildren, and to the entire community of activists on Palestine in the US.  He will be missed.   

"Propaganda for the sectarian gangs of Zahran Alloush and KSA at SOAS"?

From Kevin: "I thought you would want to know that there will be a screening at SOAS this coming monday of a VICE documentary romanticizing the Islamic Front. All the while, as you have pointed out, their leader has clearly stated his aim to 'purge Damascus of Shia influence.' Here is a link to the event page."  I like that there is the word "love" on the Facebook page. I never would have associated the word "love" with the sectarian religious nut/war criminal, Zahran `Allush. 

Lynching in America: confronting the legacy of racial terrorism

"EJI researchers documented 3959 racial terror lynchings of African Americans in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia between 1877 and 1950 – at least 700 more lynchings of black people in these states than previously reported in the most comprehensive work done on lynching to date."

U.S. violation of Article VI of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

"The United States isn’t leading by example on the non¬proliferation front. It’s increasing spending across the board on its nuclear weapons. President Obama’s budget for fiscal 2016 seeks $8.8 billion for the nuclear weapons programs run by the National Nuclear Security Administration." (thanks Amir)

Three Muslim students killed

There are two worlds really: in Arab world and on social media and even newspaper, the story of the three Muslim students killed is huge. In the US, not at all, and Drudge didnot even post a link to it most of the day yesterday. It is even true for liberal press although Huffnington later covered it well.

Huthi Sloganeering

"“It’s not meant to suggest harming American people,” Mr. Sammad said. “This is just a slogan.”"

Zahran Allush

I know that it is now fashionable for professional anti-Arab bigots in the West--people who never gave a hoot about the lives of Arabs--to feign concern for the Syrian people. Zahran Allush (the puppet of the Saudi regime) has been threatening to wipe out the people of Damascus (except Sunnis, as he warned them) and has been shelling Damascus indiscriminately but there isn't any mention of that in the Western media an no mention that Duma* is his base for shelling Damascus. 

PS I erroneously said Ghutah at first.

When Muslims are killed

When Muslims are killed, media in the West go out of their way to prove that their murder was not a hate crime.

A dispute over parking space? Are you kidding me?

To suggest that the murder of three Muslims in North Carolina was simply due to a dispute over a parking lot is akin to the notion that Sep. 11 terrorist attack was a dispute over urban design. 

Why don't American leaders issue a fatwas against hate crimes? Why? Why are

Why?

Fired from his job in Saudi Arabia for supporting the Syrian regime

A Saudi citizen (a physician and director at the Ministry of Health) expressed in a tweet (since deleted) support for the Syrian regime (in an ugly language supporting "barrel bombs" against the takfiris).  Saudi Salafites sponsored a campaign against him under this hashtag
#بندر_قدير_من_مكة_يبارك_براميل_بشار
Hours, and he was fired from his job. The letter of dismissal is shown.

The New York Times headline: no mention that victims are Muslims

"NYTimes: Man Charged in Deaths of 3 Students Near University of North Carolina".
They changed it later.

Not a hate crime: I knew it

The New York Times is reporting the the murder of three Muslim students in NC is not a hate crime because the killer loved his victims.  Pretty much.  

I think that Human Rigths Watch and Syrian rebels need to better coordinate their propaganda videos

In this article by HRW, they post a video that they say show a barrel bomb being used by Syrian regime army.  But the video (released by Syrian rebels) show what they say a TNT bomb.  You need better translators?  And I wish that HRW would condemn equally barrel bombs and the specialty of Syrian rebels known as "cannon of hell".  I don't think I saw one tweet by HRW staff about that brutal weapon.

Habib says hi and he wants the West to support him

"Habib added that he had expected more support in the West, but had been disappointed by Liberal and Leftist groups that were reluctant to rally to his cause, in one case even labelling him an ‘extremist’ for his views on religion."  I don't know what he wants from the West exactly.  Another "liberation war" or what?  And why would an atheist requires support?  I know tons of atheists in the Arab world and none are clamoring for "Western support".

Kayla Mueller, martyr of US, Syria and Palestine

"she had been to India and Israel helping in refugee settlements there". No, she went to Palestine to protest Israeli occupation and massacres.

Saudi Royal on Houbara Bustard hunting spree in Balochistan

"A Saudi prince is on a hunting spree for rare birds in Balochistan despite a court-imposed ban and the government's insistence that the foreign delegation is only on a diplomatic mission, senior officials said Monday." (thanks Mumtaz)

ISM honors Kayla Mueller

"With the ISM, Kayla worked with Palestinians nonviolently resisting the confiscation and demolitions of their homes and lands. In the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Occupied East Jerusalem, she stayed with the Al Kurd family to try and prevent the takeover of their home by Israeli settlers."

Bahrain and the reight direction

"It was bizarre when, on 20 January, foreign secretary Philip Hammond praised Bahrain’s human rights record and called it “a country which is travelling in the right direction”. On the same day, only hours later, a court convened to hear Nabeel Rajab’s case and sentenced the human rights defender to six months’ imprisonment."

Liberals in Sweden

From Uffe: "This leftwing journalist who writes editorials for Swedens biggest newspaper/tabloid Aftonbladet wants Hamas to lay down their arms. He wants more peace negotiators.  He also wants Abbas, who visits Sweden at the moment, to grab more power and that Abbas in words and in action be more tough towards Hamas. The headline in the article says: "Hamas needs to say farewell to arms." The writer wants elections to be held soon. Its to bad that he isnt a palestinian politician. He would have solved everything. (Yes he alos says Israel has the main responsibility. And this paper is quite Palestine-friendly.)


In another article, in the leading liberal morning paper, Dagens Nyheter, the writer says that it was wrong of Sweden to recognise Palestine because the borders are not defined. Later in the same editorial the writer complains about the fact that Hamas hasnt recognized Israels right to exist. Fair and balanced. You gotta love those"liberals".

Will athesits now be called upon to condemn the murder of Muslims by an atheist?

Muslims are called upon to condemn any act of violence by any Muslim.  Will you call on me as an atheist to now condemn the act of violence by an atheist? Or do those rules only apply to murder by Muslims?

Tyrant Sisi on civilization

"SPIEGEL: Our police would not fire live ammunition. If possible they would use tear gas or water cannons. And in our country, the interior minister would have to resign after a massacre like that.
Sisi: I am not ashamed to admit that there is a civilizational gap between us and you. The police and people in Germany are civilized and have a sense of responsibility. " (thanks David)

Let me guess

It will be said in American media that Islam provoked the killer and that Muslims should keep their religion in their bedrooms and kitchen let it offends others.

The Israeli article on Hariri assassination in the New York Times

The Israeli reporter is so ignorant of Lebanese politics that he thinks that a person "runs" to become prime minister in Lebanon.  He also confuses the story about Hariri's nose bleed: it did not happen prior to the extension of the term of Lahhud but--according to the story of the Hariri family itself--in 2003 when Hariri met with Syrian security chiefs. 

Who is more qualified to vouch for a fabricator than an Israeli terrorist fabricator?

"An Israeli army official who traveled with Williams that day, Jacob Dallal, on Tuesday called the anchor's account "generally reasonable." He said it was fair to assume rockets flew beneath their helicopter." (thanks Richard)

The U.S. media and a boy burned to death by a U.S. drone

"Mohammed’s older brother Maqded said he “saw all the bodies completely burned, like charcoal” – undoubtedly quite similar to the way the Jordanian combat pilot looked after he was burned alive last month by ISIS. That’s not an accident: the weapons the U.S. military uses are deliberately designed to incinerate people to death. The missiles shot by their drones are named “Hellfire.” Of his younger, now-deceased 13-year-old brother, Maqded told the Guardian: “He wasn’t a member of al-Qaida. He was a kid.” "

Muslim manager' message to 'blow away the competition' sparks terror probe

"A Muslim businessman was arrested by anti-terrorism police after sending a text message telling staff to "blow away" the competition at a trade show."

Three Muslim students murdered near University of North Carolina

"A family of three young Muslims have been shot dead in their home in a quiet neighbourhood of North Carolina in the US. Police have named the victims as 23-year-old Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19." (thanks Amir)

Why is this story huge in all international media but not in American media? Three Muslim students killed in NC

"Three Muslim students killed at North Carolina campus".

Bassem Youssef on the Daily Show

He was not funny and he was clearly reading from a script that was not written by him. The script basically reproduced the American conventional myth: that Arabs complain about the US but wish to have the US intervene in their daily lives and in their political affairs. According to the version "read" by Mr. Youssef, Arabs want US military aid to continue as if Arabs are getting the military aid for themselves, and that they also want the economic aid to continue as if it is not going--like the military aid--to the benefit of the ruling regimes. 

A Yemeni boy incinerated by American drones: is this burning of a man civilized?

"A 13-year-old boy killed in Yemen last month by a CIA drone strike had told the Guardian just months earlier that he lived in constant fear of the “death machines” in the sky that had already killed his father and brother.

“I see them every day and we are scared of them,” said Mohammed Tuaiman, speaking from al-Zur village in Marib province, where he died two weeks ago.

“A lot of the kids in this area wake up from sleeping because of nightmares from them and some now have mental problems. They turned our area into hell and continuous horror, day and night, we even dream of them in our sleep.”

Much of Mohammed’s life was spent living in fear of drone strikes. In 2011 an unmanned combat drone killed his father and teenage brother as they were out herding the family’s camels.

The drone that would kill Mohammed struck on 26 January in Hareeb, about an hour from his home. The drone hit the car carrying the teenager, his brother-in-law Abdullah Khalid al-Zindani and a third man.

“I saw all the bodies completely burned, like charcoal,” Mohammed’s older brother Maqded said. “When we arrived we couldn’t do anything. We couldn’t move the bodies so we just buried them there, near the car.”"

Another American cruelty

"On Friday, Merchants Bank of California is expected to close the accounts of all Somali-American money transfer companies on its books."

Origins of Savagery in the Middle East: Non-Islamic Origins of Terrorist Jihadi Groups

My latest blog post for Al-Akhbar English: "Origins of Savagery in the Middle East: Non-Islamic Origins of Terrorist Jihadi Groups".