Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
"In the July 21 Bee ("Lebanese line up to praise freed killer and symbol of resistance," Page A-6), your reporter most of the time referred to the freed Lebanese prisoner, Samir Kantar, as a "killer," thus accepting the Israeli point of view that he killed an Israeli child, rather than Kantar's claim that the child died during a shootout with Israeli commandos. Now, if your reporter was a commentator, I would not have had any problem with that, though I would still have opposed this point of view. But your reporter is supposed to be neutral and not take sides. A reporter's duty is to try to be objective. Thus, your reporter could have said "the alleged killer," or a similar phrase which would convey the fact that there are two versions of the events. I denounce this lack of objectivity. Without doubt, in the Israeli-Arab conflict, both sides have committed atrocities, and the Western media have mostly accepted the Israeli version of events as "truth," not expressing any sympathy toward the victims of Israeli aggression against Arab civilians. I remember clearly the picture of a car smashed under an invading Israeli tank, with a Lebanese family of five within it. This is not to justify acts of brutality against Israeli civilians. It is only after we accept the humanity of both sides and denounce violence committed by both sides that we can expect peace to take hold.
SARKIS ELMASSIAN
Ceres"
MR. GALLEGOS: Yeah. My understanding is that he is yet to publish a report. There are stories about drafts that have been released. The bottom line is the general has been there. He’s taken a look at the situation. He has the full support of the Secretary. We’re going to continue working through him and with him and we’ll see – ultimately see what is published.
QUESTION: Does the President have a decision made on whether the full report will be published and public?
MR. GALLEGOS: I don’t have any information on that (inaudible).
QUESTION: Is that under discussion at the moment?
MR. GALLEGOS: I’ll have to check. I don’t have anything on that.
QUESTION: Does the State Department have a position on whether it should be?
MR. GALLEGOS: I’ll have to check. " (thanks Enrique)
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Isn’t it a strand of Islam, founded by Muhammad? I know people think this, because they have looked in the nearest reference book, but the thing is Sufism has always had adherents from all faiths or none.
As a longtime resident of London, what do you make of the growing Islamic presence in Europe? I don’t go on and on about it, like our two knights.
You mean Martin Amis? And who else? The other one who never stops going on about Islam. Christopher Hitchens. I don’t want to add any nasty poison to this brew. It’s nasty enough as it is, so let’s leave it."
I just have one question about the questions by Deborah Solomon. What would happen to an American reporter's career if she/he were to ask a person about "the growing Jewish presence in country X"?
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Saturday, July 26, 2008
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"Zoriah Miller, the photographer who took images of marines killed in a June 26 suicide attack and posted them on his Web site, was subsequently forbidden to work in Marine Corps-controlled areas of the country. Maj. Gen. John Kelly, the Marine commander in Iraq, is now seeking to have Mr. Miller barred from all United States military facilities throughout the world. Mr. Miller has since left Iraq."
Friday, July 25, 2008
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"I wonder why Iraqi cuisine is not more sophisticated," he said. "It is essentially peasant food, which I happen to love because it fits my palate perfectly. But intellectually, you wonder why, with all of its influences, the food isn't more complex."
Feeling somewhat disturbed by the article and its problematic Orientalist and naive representation of Iraqi cuisine, I chose to write the following short letter to the editor, fitting their word-limit requirement: To the editor,
I find your article "A Bit of Old Baghdad With a Western Twist, Dining, April 23" to be somewhat offensive, ill informed and badly researched. I am an Iraqi who grew up to the delights of the Iraqi cuisine and unlike Mr. Gosh—who had spent time in Baghdad perhaps eating in restaurants around the green zone—I had a very different experience. I completely disagree with the portrayal of Iraqi food in this article as "peasant food" and not "complex." I find such statement reminiscent of the simplistic media representation and understanding of Iraq and Iraqi society. Iraqi dishes vary from one region to the other and many are 'complex' dishes that require skill and years of experience. I recommend that both Mr. Gosh and the author read Nawal Nasrallah's cookbook, Delights from the Garden of Eden, which explores both the history and the various recipes of the Iraqi cuisine. As an Iraqi, I find it disconcerting that even our food now has to be reduced and simplified by western media reporters.
Omar Dewachi
Cambridge, Mass.
I received a phone call a few days later from the New York Times Dining and Wine editors asking for permission to publish the letter. To my dismay the letter appeared in the April 30 issue completely butchered and sucked out of its life. Here is how the letter appeared:
Simply Not Peasant Food
To the Editor:
Re "A Bit of Old Baghdad With a Western Twist" (April 23):
I am an Iraqi who grew up to the delights of Iraqi cuisine. I disagree with the portrayal of Iraqi food in the article as "peasant food" and not "complex." Iraqi dishes vary from one region to the other and many require skill and years of experience.
I recommend Nawal Nasrallah's cookbook, Delights From the Garden of Eden, which explores both the history and the various recipes of Iraqi cuisine.
Omar Dewachi
Cambridge, Mass.
This is a very disturbing form of censorship and silencing of critical Iraqi voices who seemed to have lost even the ability to speak for their own food and cuisine. As simplistic representation of Iraqi society continues to predominate Western media, Iraqi cuisine seems to become now its latest victim."
Thursday, July 24, 2008
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Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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He acknowledged that one of the reasons for his support of the cessation of further foreign aid to the Palestinians involved the allegations of wanton corruption, leveled against Yassir Arafat and his successor Mahmoud Abbas. While advocating an independent Palestinian state, Mr. Nusseibeh also worried about violence in Palestinian society. In answer to a question, he admitted that much of the incitement occurs during the evening telecasts of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, which operates under Mr. Abbas' supervision." Notice that this report referred to Nusseibeh as "senior official" while he is neither. But maybe they meant that he was a senior puppet of occupation.