The three are: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and UAE.
Monday, June 12, 2017
Sunday, June 11, 2017
People are rushing to close down their Facebook and Twitter accounts in UAE
People (citizens and residents--lay people and writers) are rushing to close down their twitter and Facebook account for fear of persecution for the crime of "sympathy".
Nazi-style propaganda prevailing in Saudi regime media; warning of fifth columnists
For those who conduct polls in Gulf countries: how an Emirati professor was compelled to remove a twitter poll
So UAE professor, Abdul-khaliq Abdullah, posted a Twitter poll in which he asks people whether they approve or disapprove of the "isolation and boycott" of Qatar. Results quickly showed that 64% strongly disapproved. He was then urged to remove the twitter poll and told that the results in fact violated the laws of the UAE. He agreed with this and removed it.
Feminism cannot be Zionist
"In both cases, Gadot and Coates have been unapologetic and open about their support of anti-Palestinian violence. During Operation Protective Edge, Gadot, just cast as Wonder Woman, used her new platform to defend direct attacks on civilians, including women and children. Gadot celebrated Israeli propaganda that every such casualty was Hamas’ fault for storing weapons close to them in the most densely populated open-air prison camp on earth. The most frustrating thing to me is how obviously this invalidates Gadot as a feminist icon, and Wonder Woman as well, when the character is brought to life by Gadot. If gender is shared by all racial groups, feminism cannot be Zionist, just as it cannot be neo-Nazi—feminism that doesn’t have an understanding of how it intersects with racial and ethnic oppression is simply a diversification of white supremacy."
DUP's Pledge for Israel
"But unable to command a majority in the House of Commons on their own, the Conservatives will rely for support on the 10 lawmakers from the Democratic Unionist Party, a Christian Zionist group in Northern Ireland which pushes extreme pro-Israel policies." "The DUP is a staunchly pro-Israel party – Ian Paisley himself launched the group Northern Ireland Friends of Israel in 2009. Before this election, members of the DUP joined dozens of candidates from other parties signing a so-called “Pledge for Israel.” "As The Electronic Intifada’s David Cronin has observed, “the racist discourse of the Protestant establishment in the north of Ireland” is “almost identical to what Israeli politicians say about Arabs.” "
Saudi/Jordanian/UAE chief promoter in DC: a columnist in the Washington Post
""Ignatius’ writings have a strong influence not just on the U.S. public, but on the government itself. His columns' impact on the administration of President Barack Obama and on his former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, was evident in the tranche of emails released from Clinton’s hacked private server. Ignatius was mentioned 40 times in the Clinton emails."" (thanks Amir)
What happens to you if you write a Facebook post critical of the prime minister in the Israeli occupation state
"An Israeli court on Sunday ordered a journalist to pay more than $25,000 in damages to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara for libeling them. The magistrate court in Tel Aviv ruled that Igal Sarna libeled the couple for writing a Facebook post that claimed the prime minister's wife kicked the Israeli leader out of their car during a fight. Sarna writes for Yediot Ahronot, a major Israeli newspaper that is often critical of Netanyahu."
Following long days of silence from Wahhabi clerics, the Mufti of Saudi Arabia has spoken
Saudi regime media; never seen anything like this in Arab media
Not even Saddam's crude and vulgar media in the 1980s stooped as low as the Saudi regime media in in the last ten days. I have not seen anything like it: not even in the lousy Saudi regime media. The crudeness and vulgarity of the propaganda is for the history books. The funny part: is that the Saudi regime serves a different message in English (through the selective translations of Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat propaganda and through English language tweets by its correspondents or through press releases). You should compare the English language versus the Arabic language tweets of the director of the official Saudi lobby in DC.
How Western media serve Gulf propaganda to their readers
If Western media want to really serve their readers in their (lousy) coverage of the Gulf crisis, they would adhere to those two basic standards of professional journalism:
1) they would tell their readers while interviewing academics, journalists, or "citizens" in UAE or Saudi Arabia or Qatar that opposition the government or disagreeing with the government in tweets or in retweets would land you in jail for up to 15 years with a hefty fine. They would tell them people in those countries are not free to express views different form the government.
2) they would tell readers when they cite "experts" at DC think thanks that those think tanks are all funded by UAE and/or Saudi Arabia (except Brookings which is funded by Qatar). These are basics.
1) they would tell their readers while interviewing academics, journalists, or "citizens" in UAE or Saudi Arabia or Qatar that opposition the government or disagreeing with the government in tweets or in retweets would land you in jail for up to 15 years with a hefty fine. They would tell them people in those countries are not free to express views different form the government.
2) they would tell readers when they cite "experts" at DC think thanks that those think tanks are all funded by UAE and/or Saudi Arabia (except Brookings which is funded by Qatar). These are basics.
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.
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