When Americans commit crimes overseas

US media and government adhere to a simple formula: Any American who is accused and convicted of a crime outside of the US is innocent--unless they are Muslim that is.

Prince Turki interviewed

Look at this interview with Prince Turki.  The corrupt Saudi princes dare to tell Western reporters that they speak for the Arab public:  " That is also the opinion of much of the public in Arab countries. "

The Washington Post thinks that Saudi repression of women is funny

"The only light moment in the news conference came when a female American reporter asked Kerry for his “take on women driving in Saudi Arabia,” where small groups of women publicly took to the roads last month in defiance of a ban.

“Why didn’t you ask me that question?” Saud interjected amid laughter from the entirely male Saudi press contingent.

“Go ahead,” Kerry told him.

After a brief but awkward pause, Saud began talking again about Iran. When his turn came, Kerry said, “It’s no secret that in the United States of America we embrace equality for everybody.” But, he said, “it’s up to Saudi Arabia to make its own decisions about its own social structure.”"

An Angry Arab head?

""The mascot is basically an angry ‘Arab’ head – hooknose, long beard, headscarf and all," said Abed Ayoub, legal and policy director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)." (thanks Maria)

The insights of Elizabeth Bennington: the American correspondent who is shocked that Syrian women can handle a cellphone

""The women are stunning – as they fight bravely to take an equal place in their societies, battling for change, social justice and access to education and technology. I have sat many times in a cool tiled café near a trickling fountain, and watched a lovely young woman activist – cell phone in one hand, hubble-bubble pipe in the other – chipping away at the patriarchy and doing her bit to change the world."" (thanks Butros)

Let me give you a hint: if you are afraid of being cast ast the buffoon then you are the buffoon

"Biden worried that he would be cast as the buffoon".

Only Reuters desceribes Saudi newspapers accurately and properly

"An opinion piece by Ghassam al-Imam in Tuesday's Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, a pan-Arab daily owned by the family of Crown Prince Salman". (thanks Amir)

PS By the way, this Ghassan Al-Imam, was a staunch propagandist for Saddam Husayn for most of his life until 1990 when the magazine in which he wrote, Al-Watan Al-`Arabi, was purchased by Khalid bin Sultan.  Ever since, he has become an unrepentant Wahhabi.

PPS Do you know that the editor-in-chief of Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat, Tariq annoying Humayyid, used to call Reuters protesting when the mouthpiece of Prince Salman would be described (accurately) as the mouthpiece of Prince Salman?

Barry Obama's war crimes

"Is President Obama a suspected war criminal?" "Yet, even with less rigorous limitations on the use of lethal force under international humanitarian law, there is mounting evidence that the Obama administration's use of drones constitute violations of international law in the form of war crimes." (thanks Amir)

Australia's apartheid

"The parliament stands in Barton, a suburb of Canberra named after the first prime minister of Australia, Edmund Barton, who drew up the White Australia Policy in 1901. "The doctrine of the equality of man," said Barton, "was never intended to apply" to those not British and white-skinned."

The Middle East strategic balance is altered forever

"MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: US Embassy Beirut turns over… One Cessna Aircraft (OCA) to Lebanese Army; Amb Hale calls it “strong” and “effective” move". (thanks Nicholas)

Suha Arafat, in the news again

"Suha Arafat said the evidence in the report suggested that her then healthy 75-year-old husband, who died in 2004 four weeks after he first fell ill shortly after eating dinner, was almost certainly murdered by poison.

She told al-Jazeera: "This is the crime of the century.""  Let me translate her words: I ask the agents of the Israeli occupation in the PA to send me more money to shut up.

Orientalist racism of Philip Hitti

He writes in "The Syrians in America" (1924) in a section titled "Vices of Servitude": "While in general the Syrians stand on a high plane of morality, yet they share with all subject races certain vices of servitude.  Their standards of veracity are perhaps not on a par with those of the Occidentals.  In matters where the temptation for affectation of dissimulation is especially great, they are more likely to succumb".  Their business probity is not considered by some as of the highest type." (p. 31-32).

An American manual of etiquette among the Arab people

This book is the bible of Western companies operating in the Middle East.  A major American company distributed to its staff snippets form this book on how to handle Arabs:


"·       It is best never to provoke a deliberate and open confrontation with an Arab regardless of the truth or other factors...·Rude or aggressive behavior and the wearing of revealing clothing (shorts, cut-away vests, short dresses, off the shoulder tops) in public places are also deprecated [Have those folks ever been to Lebanon?]...·       Many Arabs believe in a “sixth sense” that guides them to the correct decision in any matter. Many Arabs will often trust their instinct rather than plough through a mass of detail...

·       Most Westeners find silence embarrassing and will seek to fill a gap in the conversation. Many Arabs are wholly unembarrassed by silence and are content, usually, simply to be “together with friends”…speech is not always essential on such occasions and there can be long periods of slience, intermingled with good gossip and story-telling...Islam is a binding force, not just throughout the Region, but beyond. Islam is more than a religion; Islam is a code of conduct and a way of life as well...

Most people do not enjoy strangers taking their picture deliberately and publicly without their permission [while in the West, people enjoy being photographed by strangers up close, I am sure]."

Syria's Muslim Brotherhood

The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood has formed a new (secret) political party: its name (acronyms) is Wa`d (the same name of the party founded by Lebanese militia warlord, Elie Hubayqah).  Coincidence.

USA Embassy in Lebanon celebrates a Cessna handover to Lebanon

I have always believed that: many American officials think that Arabs are dumb.  The USA embassy in Beirut, in a special fancy ceremony, celebrates the handover of a Cessna plane to Lebanon.  Advanced fighter jets to the Israeli enemy and Cessna to Lebanon? I tweeted to the embassy asking if they are consider providing Lebanon with kites to bolster Lebanon's air defenses.  Grotesque.

Propagandist for Bashshar versus propagandist for House of Saud on a US college campus

A propagandist for Bashshar Al-Asad versus a propagandist for Saudi King. 

Saudi King in a suit and tie

To some American security "analysts", the problem is that Pakistani people are perverse and ungrateful. They are right: how could they not be grateful when we kill them?

"To some American security analysts, the furious reaction was another sign of the perversity and ingratitude that they say have scarred Pakistan’s relationship with the United States."

The adventures of the Fee Syrian Army

"“People are so scared,” said Zakaria Ahmed, 39, an Aleppo businessman who traveled Sunday to the Turkish border town of Kilis after a night of intense shelling by government forces triggered fears of an imminent offensive. “It seems the Free Syrian Army is incapable of defending even themselves, let alone the people.” "

This person argues that the US should join UNESCO only to defend Israeli war crimes

"Our decades-old laws may have been an effort to stand with Israel, but Israel will be hurt by the U.S. absence at UNESCO. U.S. officials have worked hard to help forestall or mitigate anti-Israeli actions in international bodies. When controversial Holy Land heritage issues are discussed at UNESCO next year, a non-voting United States will be less able to help its ally. "

From the Syrian "revolution" page: bigotry and more bigotry

From a Syrian comrade:  "on a related note, i was looking the syrian revolution page, and someone posted this link. it's pretty awful, but i have to say some of the jokes are funny. 

this is a sample link posted there

tweeting bigotry

"This is precisely the kind of image whose dominance and role in American media Edward Said traced in his classic 1981 book Covering Islam."

O Zionists: all what you have done to our people is registered in notebooks

"[Tuesday Morning November 4, 2013] The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that detainee Hasan Abdul-Halim Toraby, 22 years of age, died at the Al-'Affoula Israeli Hospital, after being denied essential medical treatment."

war tourism in Syria

"Tsuneoka is not the only Japanese national to have travelled to war-torn Syria. In the first months of the conflict, there were reports of a Japanese truck driver engaging in "war tourism", a Japanese journalist converted to Islam by the Free Syrian Army, and another journalist who died in Aleppo under unclear circumstances." (thanks Amir)

The brave Mr. Bahaa el-Din

"Mona Seif, an activist working to end military trials for civilians, said advocates had presented Mr. Bahaa el-Din and other ministers with the names of some of the thousands of people detained since July — many of them on political charges — and received no response.

Before the military takeover, she noted, Mr. Bahaa el-Din had been an outspoken critic of military trials for civilians. “Now there is nothing,” she said. "

the anti-Iranian racist, Wendy Sherman: if this racist woman was a Republican, liberal media would be all over her

""In a lengthy interview with Channel 10 News in Israel that was broadcast Sunday night, Wendy Sherman, who leads the United States delegation to the nuclear talks, sought to reassure a skeptical ally of “President Obama’s commitment that Iran not obtain a nuclear weapon.” She stressed that Israel, which is not a party to the talks, would be informed and “have consulted with us” about any possible deal “because Israel’s security is bedrock, and there is no closer security relationship than what we have with each other.” "

Why the Muslim Brotherhood will survive

To the credit of the movement, its leaders and even its members always handle pressure, incarceration, and even torture very well. They don't break easily.  The fact that the Sisi regime did not air live footage of Morsi is an indication that they are sacred of his ability to inspire.  People will even compare the visage of Morsi in comparison with the visage of Mubarak and his two lousy sons.  Arab Communist leaders have handled similar situations rather cowardly.  Iraqi communist leader, Ibrahim Kubbah, began his testimonials on Iraqi TV in March 1963 by saying that he will "only focus on the treasonous stances of the communist part" (see the collections of confessions and testimonials in the book: Al-Kitab Al-Aswad: I`tirafat Ash-Shuyu`iyyin, 1963, p. 32).  The brave and firm manner in which Syrian Social National Party leader, Antun Sa`adah, handled his own execution inspired members and leaders of the party for decades to come.  It went on as an example of a courageous leader and served the party greatly.  It took Michel `Aflaq minutes or maybe an hour after he was submerged in a barrel of feces by the Husni Za`im regime to issue that humiliating statement that stigmatized Ba`thist history for decades to come.  You may say that Saddam handled his execution bravely: that maybe true but it was too late because the criminality of the Ba`th could not be erased with that stance. It was, for Saddam and for the Ba`th, too little too late.  

The conference on Syria at Lehigh University

The accounts of that Syria conference at Lehigh University (which has the fair and balanced standards of Fox News, or even less) by some participants in social media are quite unrepresentative of what happened.  If you watch this very short clip, you will see that both Syrian sides represented--or not really represented as the conference had one side only represented (the pro-Asad folks and the pro-Saudi King folks), exchanged obscene and vulgar language.  Watch this short clip to see that both were pretty crass.

PS: Please note the presence of Lebanese professor in France, Joe Bahout, who I am told participated in the exchange of obscenities.   (Bahout, is often ridiculed for his overnight change of public stance on Syria--pure divine inspiration, I am sure).

The failed gamble of Khalid Mish`al

My latest blog post for Al-Akhbar English:  "The failed gamble of Khalid Mish`al".

silence about the shooting at `Alawites

As I predicted, the shooting at `Alawite innocent workers in Tripoli, Lebanon was ignored by all Western media.

Syria political terminology

If every opponent of the Syrian opposition is labeled pro-Asad, I suggest that every opponent of Bashshar be labeled pro-Nusrah Front. It is only fair.

Meet a new expert on Syria in the US

Only when I saw this I learned that Rep. Charlie Dent is an expert on Syria.  Kid you not.

Harvard Arab Alumni Association

There is no group that is more ridiculous than the Harvard Arab Alumni Association.  Look at their conference.

20 sacks of sulphur and 8 barrels of "unknow chemical" in Hatay

From Angry Arab correspondent n Turkey:  ""Turkish security forces stopped three cars in Hatay (Antioch) on the way to Syria loaded with 20 sacks of sulphur and 8 barrels of "unknow chemical". The Joint Staff released a statement on the incident, saying that the cars were stopped after border guards opened fire... The people on the cars were able to escape Syrian side, while one of them was arrested.
The chemicals were sent to experts for further investigation. "

Carnegie Endowment for War

"“Sherman’s DNA comment has created a big stir in Iran,” says Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Adelson not so much.”" Yes, brilliant man.  Iranians don't mind being nuked.  You are so wise in your comments; almost as wise as the folks at the Qatar branch of Brookings.

the racist Wendy Sherman

"In recent testimony to Congress, Sherman said that the U.S. had to be cautious about cutting a deal with Tehran, because recent experience with the Iranians over their nuclear program—which Iran has repeatedly concealed—shows that “deception is part of the DNA.”" (thanks Tom)

October war

"Kissinger wants Israel to know: The U.S. saved you during the 1973 war".  Tell Kissinger we know.

medical ethics

""The Task Force on Preserving Medical Professionalism in National Security Detention Centers (see attached) concludes that since September 11, 2001, the Department of Defense (DoD) and CIA improperly demanded that U.S. military and intelligence agency health professionals collaborate in intelligence gathering and security practices in a way that inflicted severe harm on detainees in U.S. custody. These practices included "designing, participating in, and enabling torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment" of detainees, according to the report.""

Sisi pants

Gen. Sisi pulls his pants way too high.

finally some good news from Afghanistan

"Despite a U.S. investment of nearly $7 billion since 2002 to combat it, the country’s opium market is booming..."

street harassment of women

"Studies around the world show that 80 to 100 percent of women experience street harassment. In a study of 816
women from 23 countries, almost one in four had experienced street harassment by age 12 (22%) an
d nearly
90% by age 19. " (thanks Hannah)

Bassem Youssef saga

Caption says: "Make only me laugh".

Where is the CIA Pakistani doctor to provide the fake vaccine?

"Kindah al-Shammat, the Social Affairs Minister, told the Associated Press news agency that jihadis from Pakistan were to blame. She said: "The virus originates in Pakistan and has been brought to Syria by the jihadists who come from Pakistan." She offered no evidence and did not elaborate on the claim. Pakistan is one of three countries where polio remains endemic."

Jordan and refugees

"In a 40-page report, the rights group accused the Jordanian government of discriminating against certain categories of refugees, including stateless Palestinians and Iraqi nationals." (thanks Amir)

Saudi fatwawawas

"A member Saudi Arabia's board of religious scholars Sheikh Ali al Hemki has criticised the Mars One project which is attempting to organise a commercial mission to the red planet and has drawn expressions of interest from more than 200 thousand people worldwide. "These experiments will lead to the destruction of those who try," and so should be done with animals, not people," he said. "Believers should not should throw themselves into their own hands into perdition. "" (thanks Basim)