UN report and Israeli apartheid

Predictable. But this is what is funny: US and Israel think that if they just exert enough international pressure to muzzle freedom of expression at UN and in all countries, then the word Apartheid would not be used about Israeli....apartheid.  

Please judge the credibility of North Korean defectors

Watch here.

Such a frank admission: how the US views the role of the Department of State

"Many veteran diplomats said that injecting money into the Defense Department while slashing the State Department made little sense, since the functions of the two go hand in hand."

There is a real wave of anti-Semitism sweeping the country

This anti-Semitic wave across the lands is real, and is not fictitious.  It is, however, not surprising.  The campaign which unleashed unprecedented level of bigotry, and which featured the bigoted likes of Franklin Graham or Jerry Falwell, Jr. should have alerted Jewish organizations to the danger.  Instead, Zionist organizations were too happy with the pro-Israel stance of Trump, and ignored the ominous signs of bigotry and intolerance which his campaign unleashed.  It is illusory to think that those Christians who harbor and express blatant anti-Muslim sentiments and hatred would not extend their hatred to other non-Christian groups.  I maintain that the Christian evangelical groups in the US--and which have been aligned with Israel for decades--still pose the greatest danger to tolerance in the country, and they would become--at a moment's notice--an instrument of anti-Semitic campaigns.  Is it not high time for people to demand that those bigots like Franklin Graham be ostracized and condemned for their hatred?  Historically, the church was the natural home of anti-Semitism and there is no reason to believe that it won't become again.

Muhammad bin Salman

Did you see his statement yesterday? That he trust US leadership of the world under Trump? Did you also notice that in his remarks in the Pentagon, it took him a sentence before he railed at Iran?

Remember when Atlantic Council celebrated the Al-Qa`idah takeover of Idlib?

Read this report.

I did not know until yesterday that Western supporters of Syrian rebels care about Syrian civilians

Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister)

3/16/17, 5:14 PM #pt: US strikes that hit mosques & kill 10s of civilians give AlQaeda even more of an advantage. Makes this worse:

Notice that US bombing in Iraq or elsewhere never bothered this and other Western correspondents in Beirut

Liz Sly (@LizSly)

3/16/17, 6:37 PM

Syrians: US warplanes struck a packed mosque during prayertime & killed and injured dozens of people; death toll currently put at 35-50. 2/2

So Trump's message to Gulf potentates

He basically made it clear: that they will be close allies of his administration but at a price--financial price (whether in investments in the US or in purchases of arms or in forming Muslim armies to fight US wars).  

Moroccan academics

I visited Morocco for the second time in a span of 20 years. I have to say that I am so impressed with the quality and knowledge of Moroccan academics and doctoral students in the first conference of Middle East and North Africa studies in Marrakech.  This is an example that national universities can achieve excellence in the Arab world without having Western names and without being private universities.  Those Moroccan universities need so much state support and they also need to find jobs for new graduates.  Moroccan college students now all are fluent in English, French, and Arabic and combine Western and Arabic cultural background.  

Putin targeting critical journalists?

Without presenting any evidence, US media has been saying for years that any Russian journalists who die must have been poisoned by Putin. Of course, some may have been, as I don't exonerate Putin. But notice that those same Western journalists never bothered to protest when George W. Bush (otherwise known as the cute and affable painter these days) ordered that US fighter jets target the AlJazeera offices in Baghdad in 2003.  I guess for US media killing by poison is a terrible murder while killing with bombs is a mere war tactic.

Western correspondents in Beirut acted as if this was the first time US has bombed a mosque

"The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitor, said that at least 42 people, mostly civilians, were killed in a strike that “targeted a mosque in al-Jinah village” in the western countryside of Aleppo on March 16th. “The death toll is expected to rise,” said the monitor."

Western correspondents in Beirut

Western correspondents in Beirut yesterday noticed for the first time that US has been bombing Syria. For the first time, Western correspondents in Beirut were wearing because they just discovered that US bombs can kill civilians and they do.  The reason why they were so upset yesterday is that Al-Qa`idah in Syria (or what Western correspondents in Beirut has been referring to as "moderate Syrian rebels") were the targets of US bombs although--typically--civilians were also killed. 

Syrian regime corruption and repression

You would think that with all that is going on that the Syrian regime would take a break from repression and corruption but it does not.  The correspondent of Al-Mayadin was banned from working because he exposed corruption (theft) in areas taken over by Syrian troops.  And a Syrian regime reporter took a selfie with dead corpses behind him.  

The UN report (or reports)

It is hilarious that anyone would refer to the UN as "independent" in any of its findings or missions.  This is a tool of the US/Israeli alliance, despite some setbacks to the alliance here and there.  But the US quickly exerts financial pressures and quickly nullifies whatever bothers US and Israel.  It is also hilarious for anyone to to cite the Jordanian Prince, Zayd bin Ra`d as an authority on human rights or on anything: this is like citing Marwan Muahser (a former minister and ambassador for the Jordanian potentate) on issues of Arab change.  The UN reports which labeled Israel as apartheid had no chance, and I said so immediately when I saw some Arabs celebrating.  Those who wish to fight battles in the UN on behalf of just causes, should shift their struggles elsewhere.  US is a successful blackmailer at the US, and has a very long history in that regard.  It is so blatant that it is not subtle diplomacy as it used to be.

Budget Priorities

Journalism according to Saudi regime standards:

"The friendliness that dominated the meeting; it was clear that Trump was keen on labeling this meeting as friendly. The lunch that was held in the East Wing of the White House and to be precise, in the family hall is bold evidence on it.

.Trump inviting senior officials to enter the hall after the start of the meeting with Mohammed bin Salman so that they can hear from the Prince what he had already heard, asking the deputy crown prince to repeat what he had said.

.The meeting moved from discussing broad ideas into discussing the details and many files.

.The harmony and compatibility between Salman and Trump was clear and the latter wanted to hear the ideas and aspirations of the Saudi Kingdom in details."

Western human rights organizations

I am so glad that Western human rights organizations were not around during the long decades of the Algerian Revolution. They would have been a great boost for the propaganda of the occupiers.  

Muhammad bin Salman on Trump

Yet another Arab ruler, assures the world that Trump is not anti-Muslim. But the statement of the senior Saudi official on the meeting between Trump and Muhammad bin Salman was interesting in that Bin Salman tried to appease Trump by blaming the media for his bad image. He all but blamed "fake news".

Washington Post motto

The new motto of the Washington Post is so stupid. Democracy-- assuming it is a good thing--can die in daylight as well.

Washington Post

The new motto of the Washington Post is so stupid. Democracy-- assuming it is a good thing--can die in daylight as well.  

A public Service announcement about Ryanair

At all cost, avoid an airline named Ryanair.  It is by far the worst airline on earth. If there are airlines on other planets this would still be the worst.  Ryanair was initially used for the transport of cattle, but then the animals refused to be serviced by Ryanair. The airline is so bad that safety instructions are posted in front of every seat to alert you that crashes are quite frequent on Ryanair: emergency landing instructions are Ryanair's idea of flight entertainment. They also put a life-vest over every passenger's head because in one out of two flights you will need it.  Wait: but they have "Priority Seating" which only means that you get to stand at the gate like everyone else but "Priority Seating" people get to stand against the wall (but not shot, thankfully). Also, they don't believe that airplane seats need to recline.  Oh, and Ryanair doesn't use Heathrow London Airport: they use Luton airport which is far worse than Beirut Airport in 1938 (and is one hour and a half by car from downtown London).

PS Wait. Ryanair has an application for mobile devices and if you check-in using the device they make you leave the check-in counter and go to the kiosk ( they don't believe in office) and buy a boarding pass.  So the mobile check-in is meaningless. 

PPS oh, and how do you know that the lavoratory on the plane is occupied? The stench gives it away.

 

New York Times on the Wikileaks of CIA hacking

Read the coverage of the latest Wikileaks on CIA hacking. Look at this article  The New York Times is going out of its way to basically tell the readers that it is no big deal and that there is nothing new and that the hacking is not as expensive, and that you are not worry about unless the CIA hacks into your phone, etc.  And yet, this New York Times has the audacity of reviewing RT TV to decide if there is propaganda there or not.  In fact, there is another article in the Times today by some professor in North Carolina, in which the media are criticized for making a big deal out of the Wikileaks story and the author accused Wikileaks of "misinformation".  

When the New York Times reviews RT TV

It is very amusing when US mainstream media critically reviews the media of their countries, especially when they are not friends of the US.  In fact, the US media hated Aljazeera (when it was good) and loved Aljazeera when it became a crude propaganda outlet of the Qatari regime only because the policies of the two governments because closer.  Remember when US politicaians would boycott Aljazeera? Now, even McCain appears there, and only because they know that Aljazeera has become indistinguishable form Saudi regime media--known as the model of free media in the world.  So the Times reviewed RT TV because the premise is that US media are not propaganda media and that they alone can judge other media. This is part of the same myth: that there is "fake news" (and the news by enemies of the US) and then there is Truth media;, and they are the media that represent the consensus of the military-intelligence apparatus of the US.  In fact, RT TV and US media are all propaganda media. But if you watch RT TV: there is more news reported than any of the US TV news, and there is less entertainment reported.   From a news perspective, RT is more like CNN (of the 1980s when it was good) and Aljazeera before the Arab uprising--propaganda of the Russian perspective notwithstanding.  The reach of RT is spreading, and even the website of RT now appears among the top website among Arabs.  I mean, just compare RT TV to CNN and Fox.  US news media are now nothing but entertainment (boring entertainment at that) and chit-chat.  

Amal Clooney: seen human righting in this picture

The politically courageous Amal Clooney is seen human righting with a man who likes wars more than any member of US Congress (hell, more than even Hannibal).  

Lousy Western media coverage of Middle East: why you need to know Arabic (the strange case of Liz Sly)

I have reported many times that Liz Sly qualifies as one of the worst reporters covering the Middle East today, and there is still competition. Just yesterday, she posted that Syrian regime media did not report about the anniversary of the Ba`thist coup. (Image shown).  In reality, the anniversary was marked in all Syrian regime media but how would she know? She only reads English.  In fact, she often reports what Syrian rebel media report without checking for verification.  I have attached an image of the front page of the Syrian regime mouthpiece below, where the anniversary is marked on the front page.  But then again: imagine if you send me to China, and I tweet observations about the Chinese regime media without any knowledge of Chinese.    

The political courage of Amal Clooney

This woman is amazing.  At a time when no one is speaking out against ISIS, and at a time when ISIS is not criticized by anyone in the world, Amal Clooney came to US and met with US ambassador (who is known as a courage crusader against all progressive ideas) and denounced ISIS.  Wow.  It is true that when UN asked Clooney to help investigate Israeli war crimes in Gaza, she declined and said that she was too busy, but she is not too busy to denounce ISIS. Good for you, Amal Clooney. You deserve the Bill Clinton and Tony Blair award for political courage. 

To Marrakech

Will be back in a week. 

Airport search

I have never been more thoroughly physically searched as I was today leaving San Francisco Airport. He warned me: I will be searching your genitals, would you like to go to a private area? I said: of course, not. Keep it public.

The powerful TV

Our Samsung TV came with its own government-issued security clearance.  

Our breakfast eating TV

When I saw our Samsung TV having bacon for breakfast, I knew that it was more than a TV.

The fishy Samsung TV

It was rather fishy when our Samsung TV bought its own subscription of the New York Times.

That damn Samsung TV

I knew that something was terribly wrong when our Samsung TV would insist on going to the grocery store with us.

When your TV is too smart

I knew something was wrong when: whenever I criticize the US government at home, the Samsung (too smart) TV would throw a shoe at me.

My smart Samsung TV

Now I know why my smart Samsung TV always talks back to me.

So I was having this argument with my Samsung smart TV

...and I said.  

An editor at the Washington Post wants a resumption of the Cold War

Ruth Marcus (@RuthMarcus)

3/7/17, 7:09 PM So excited to be watching The Americans, throwback to a simpler time when everyone considered Russia the enemy. Even the president.

Blaming Assange

"Oren Falkowitz, a former N.S.A. official and the chief executive of the cyberdefense firm Area 1 Security, said that WikiLeaks, run by Julian Assange, had again succeeded in disrupting the status quo, as it did during last year’s presidential election with the release of emails from the Democratic National Committee. “If you understand the Assange playbook,” Mr. Falkowitz said, “a lot of it is just to create chaos.”"

Assassinations by using cars & trucks

"As of October 2014 the CIA was also looking at infecting the vehicle control systems used by modern cars and trucks. The purpose of such control is not specified, but it would permit the CIA to engage in nearly undetectable assassinations."

French citizens are complicit in war crimes in Palestine

"According to i24 News, an Israeli news channel, in 2014, the Israeli army had 3,384 foreign volunteers, of whom 70 percent were men. One quarter were from the United States and the rest were from different countries, including France. However, according to the French-Israeli blog Coolamnews, France is now the most represented country among the volunteers: in 2015, 43 percent came from France while 38 percent came from the United States."

According to Herzl, Zionism is a colonial idea

"Herzl approached Britain because, he said, it was "the first to recognize the need for colonial expansion." According to him, "the idea of Zionism, which is a colonial idea, should be easily and quickly understood in England." " (thanks Amir)

Quigley, J. B. 2005. The Case for Palestine: An International Law Perspective. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Page 7.

Human Rights Watch and Israel are back being friends

"To his surprise, Omar Shakir was even met at Ben-Gurion Airport by a Foreign Ministry representative, who rushed him through customs and border control. He was not questioned nor detained at the airport. " (thanks Yasmine)

The only democracy in the Middle East? You mean the only farce in the Middle East?

In one week, the Israeli occupation parliament, voted to: 1) ban Muslim calls to prayer through loudspeakers; 2) banned organizations from entering Israel if they support boycott.  3) ruled that citizenship can be revoked of Arabs who disobey the state.  The only democracy? 

Have you read about the foiled assassination attempt of the Saudi King in Malaysia?

What is it with those foiled assassination plots against Saudi officials? Whatever happened to the Iranian assassination plot against the Saudi ambassador in DC, when Iranian Revolutionary Guards hired a Texas salesman to hire drug lords in Mexico to detonate Orange Chicken at a Chinese restaurant frequented by Saudi ambassador in DC? Well, today, according to Saudi regime and Qatari regime media, Huthis AND ISIS were behind this plot against the King.  I am sure that International Communism was involved too.

Obama also referred to slaves as 'immigrants'

"And perhaps, like some of you, these new arrivals might have had some moments of doubt, wondering if they had made a mistake in leaving everything and everyone they ever knew behind.  So life in America was not always easy.  It wasn’t always easy for new immigrants.  Certainly it wasn’t easy for those of African heritage who had not come here voluntarily, and yet in their own way were immigrants themselves.  There was discrimination and hardship and poverty.  But, like you, they no doubt found inspiration in all those who had come before them.  And they were able to muster faith that, here in America, they might build a better life and give their children something more."