Saturday, June 10, 2017
An Egyptian TV serial insert a not-so-subtle political message against tyrant, Sisi
So it would have been OK if he were a Muslim? "Professor stopped, grilled, booted after ‘extreme vetting’"
"Saad said he is Christian, has family in America and no criminal record."
An American author visits Saudi Arabia: guess who he is?
"I came to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Time Entertainment under the leadership of Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel and the General Entertainment Authority, who organized everything at very short notice. I found the audiences to be extremely enthusiastic and engaged. At book signings, after my talks, it was a pleasant surprise to see that 18 of my books have been translated into Arabic. At various receptions, I had the opportunity to meet CEOs, thought leaders and various government leaders. I was aware of Saudi Vision 2030, but after meeting Ahmed Al-Khatib, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Minister of Health Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, Minister of Culture and Information Awwad Al-Awwad, and other officials, I had no doubt that the vision of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is on its way to becoming reality."
This is new in the Times: yet another definition of anti-Semitism
"He and his inner circle have been accused of anti-Semitism for their strong criticism of Israel". So one should only level "mild" criticisms of Israel so as not to fall into anti-Semitism? Does that apply to Iran and Saudi Arabia? Should we only level mild criticisms against those regimes because otherwise we could become Islamophobes?
Don't you like it when the New York Times blames Palestinians for the lack of a "peace camp" in Israel?
As if there was ever a "peace camp" in Israel: "But the peace camp dwindled after the suicide bombings of the second Palestinian intifada, and because of what many Israelis perceive as the Palestinians’ inability to deliver a deal." So the Palestinians are held responsible for even Israeli political developments. This is like saying that it is the fault of Canada that Trump won the election.
David Ignatius inaugurates a new Saudi lobby in DC
It was only fitting that the work of a new Saudi lobby in DC, (Arabia Foundation) was inaugurated by none other than David Ignatius. I could not have thought of a better fit.
A Saudi lobby in DC maintains that the real worry is about the security of the regime and not about terrorism
Wait. I thought that they are worried about the spread of terrorism but here it talks about threats to regimes: "Saudi and the UAE will also demand that Qatar reign in Al-Jazeera which consistently propagates Islamist-inspired propaganda that undermines their regimes." Also, if Aljazeera is Islamist-oriented (which it has become since at least 2010), what does that make Saudi Arabia? A staunch secular regime?
CORRECTION: UAE potentate now wants to go after Kuwait and Oman
Muhammad bin Zayid attacks GCC members who have "duplicitous" stances.
PS Al-Ittihad newspaper says that this is a fake news story. They should know.
PS Al-Ittihad newspaper says that this is a fake news story. They should know.
My favorite part: Lebanese writers in Saudi regime media
At a moment's notice, Lebanese who write in Saudi regime media promptly produce convenient contributions to Saudi propaganda.
Hundred of unarmed Syrian protesters shot at...in Syrian rebel areas
This won't register in the Western press: in Ma`arrat An-Nu`man in rif Idlib, Hay'at Tahrir Ash-Sham thugs shot at unarmed civilian protesters yesterday. Tens of people were killed or injured according to Al-Quds Al-`Arabi.
Where is the fake sympathy for the Syrian people??
Is there a reason that suddenly the fake expression of sympathy for the Syrian people disappeared?? Especially by the Western correspondents in Beirut?
Friday, June 09, 2017
The Gulf region today is more closed and repressive than it was in the 1970s, yet US never stopped hailing "reforms"
All Gulf countries were less repressive in the 1970s than they are today--and they were repressive back then, don't get me wrong. There were political currents not only in Kuwait: but even in UAE in the 1970s. Today I remembered this article by James Bill from 1984 Foreign Affairs in which he identifies political currents in the UAE, among other Gulf countries. Those regimes sponsored and nurtured those trends and now they are banning them.
Is a Saudi/UAE/Egyptian invasion of Qatar imminent by next week?
I am getting fears from the Gulf that a Saudi/UAE/Egyptian invasion of Qatar is imminent by next week. I am told that Turkish forces would be willing to fight Egyptian and UAE forces but not Saudi. Notice that Qatari press still avoids attacking Saudi regime and focuses instead on UAE. I am told that Qatari Emir was not willing to leave the country for fears that Saudis won't allow him back and would close off airspace.
PS I would have said that US would have prevented such a scenario, but after Trump's speech today, I don't know anymore. He would love to distract attention to claim another bogus victory against terrorism. Also, Israel is really eager to kick out Hamas from Qatar.
PS I would have said that US would have prevented such a scenario, but after Trump's speech today, I don't know anymore. He would love to distract attention to claim another bogus victory against terrorism. Also, Israel is really eager to kick out Hamas from Qatar.
What if the US forces in Qatar clash with the US forces in Saudi Arabia?
If that occurs, I count on the US forces in Kuwait to mediate.
Name the first "civic organization" licensed by the UAE regime
The first ever licensed "civil organization" in the UAE is none other than Islah, the board of which was headed in the 1970s by Shaykh Muhammad bin Khalifah Al Maktum.
Two reactionaries in one picture
Thursday, June 08, 2017
He was not kidding: he was dead serious
| Andrew Exum (@ExumAM) | |
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This latest Gulf crisis is also a real test of the ability of D.C. think tanks -- now awash in Gulf money -- to provide objective analysis.
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Israel-centric mainstream media
"A survey of opinion pieces in major US newspapers and magazines over the past week found that an overwhelming majority of voices featured in the media—23 out of 26—were Israeli or American, while only three were Palestinian or Palestinian-American. Here is a list of opinion pieces by Israelis and Israeli-Americans, which looked at the war and subsequent occupation from a variety of Israel-centric perspectives:" (thanks Amir)
A petition by reforms in the Gulf: the repressive environment of the United Police Emirates
A citizen of the UAE directed my attention to this: only one UAE citizen dared sign this petition. Only one. It basically calls for mediation and reforms in the Gulf.
I salute the government for China for cutting funds to the useless UN human rights shop of this Jordanian prince
| Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) | |
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While Trump threatens to cut UN peacekeeping funds, China pushes to defund UN human rights work. #CoverUpTime bit.ly/2s5jpWHpic.twitter.com/zSaVY25jW2
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Stop citing those silly Arab surveys: Saudi-UAE propaganda from Hoover
"The recent Arab Youth Survey, an annual poll conducted by the public relations firm ASDA’A Burson Marsteler, reflects this narrative. In interviews with the 18-24 demographic across the Arab world, a striking picture appears, a picture of two Middle Easts: satisfied, contented youth in the Gulf Arab states and dissatisfied, frustrated young people more broadly across the region. " This is meaningless. To express disagreement with the government in Gulf governments--as you now see for full view--will get you a long jail sentence and a hefty fine. While if you live in Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon (to varying degrees) people are more willing to express in surveys disagreements with the governments. So the analogy of survey findings in the Gulf with those in some other less repressive Arab countries is just meaningless.
This guy is really intent on taking the US to war, and he still promotes the fantasy of "moderate" rebels
| Robert Ford (@fordrs58) | |
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count on the Syrian government every time to choose to attack moderate opposition forces rather than jihadis whenever given the choice.twitter.com/vvanwilgenburg…
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Saudi regime versus Qatari regime
Their media are basically stressing how pleased US is with their government.
Intense Saudi regime propaganda in the West
If you see this, by a DC correspondent of the mouthpiece of Prince Khalid bin Sultan, Al-Hayat, she says in English: "Iran preparing food shipments to Doha". But the Arabic produced by the mouthpiece of Prince Khalid bin Salman, Al-Arabiyya, says: "Iran expressed readiness to supply Doha" etc.
Wednesday, June 07, 2017
I predict this popular Saudi professor will be arrested this week
This professor (who is of Turkish-Ikhwan sympathies) is widely followed on Twitter and he monitors Saudi media for any evidence of what he calls "Zionification". He has been under attack lately because he has not joined the anti-Qatar campaign although he publicly said that he quit writing for Aljazeera publications for the time being.
Rising resentment in Saudi Arabia against the clerics
For the first time you see this in a Saudi regime newspaper: Okaz attacks the clerics for refraining from joining the campaign against Qatar.
How do we assess the media/Propaganda war?
There is no question that Saudi regime wins hands down in the media/propaganda war (as crude as it is). Qatar media used to excel but they exhibits signs of defensiveness, awkwardness and weakness. It is true that Saudi regime media were prepared for this and had the infographics but still. Qatari media are still holding back.
Why are the Saudi Wahhabi clerics silent?
There is dissatisfaction in Saudi Arabia (and even on social media) about the noticeable silence of Saudi Wahhabi clerics toward the current crisis. The Emir of Qatar with great media fanfare gathered the Qatari Wahhabi clerics for Iftar. One person on social media was defensive about this saying: but they are fasting and exhausted.
All the PR work which UAE has done in recent years is now gone
Their recent announcement of the ban on "sympathy" has really undermined their fake bogus "nice" image. Where are the Ministers of Happiness and Tolerance and Potato when you need them?
For legal experts out there
Can we say that the UAE police state yesterday registered a legal precedent by banning "sympathizing" and imposing a hefty fine and a long jail sentence for anyone who "sympathize" with Qatar?
ISIS in Iran
What I got from the ISIS statement today is that the want to turn Iran into Sunni Islam. ISIS has a lot of work ahead of them it seems--if they survive that is.
Lebanese media silence
One of the most hilarious aspect of this Gulf war story is that Lebanese journalists have been so uncharacteristically silent about all this. Many of them write for media in both camps and don't want to jeopardize relations. But the Saudi pressures are strong: all those who used to contribute to Qatari regime media have been ordered to desist at once.
Qatari regime is thrilled
Qatari regime media are way too excited: that Trump called the Emir of Qatar.
The Saudi regime paper, Okaz, has reached new lows during this crisis: but it has a long professional history
Adel Jubeir
The Saudi Foreign Minister may be the minister who least participates in the making of the policies he represents.
A Lebanese Facebook friend wrote this on Facebook today
"Iran supports Qatar which fights the Syrian regime which is supported by Iran, a friend of Turkey, which is a friend of Israel."
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