On Human Rights Watch's report on Saudi regime hate speech

I heard from Saudi citizens inside the kingdom. They have major complaints about the report by Human Rights Watch on Saudi regime's hate speech: they said that the organization only focused on Islamists in the kingdom totally ignoring the fact that Saudi liberals are most guilty in the hate speech campaign (see this article by a Saudi regime liberal).  Critics of the report rightly point out that the report basically blamed the weakest element: the religious establishment while totally exonerating the Saudi regime and its liberal establishment inside the kingdom.  One critic said: "the report said 99 correct things but only to promote one falsehood".

In Saudi Arabia you can be arrested for "agitating public opinion"

People were arrested in Saudi Arabia for "agitating public opinion".  Kid you not.

How dare you, North Korea, do this? Don't you know that no one arms Arabs against nuclear-powered Israel?

"Throughout the 1980s, it supplied weapons to left-wing Arab states and pro-Palestinian militant groups and in 1988 declared its support for an independent Palestinian state, despite Israel's territorial claims." (thanks Basim)

US is involved in wars that most Americans are not even aware of: this is Niger

"3 U.S. Troops Killed, 2 Wounded In Ambush In Niger".

When Herbert Marcuse almost posed for Playboy Magazine

"Given his new-found notoriety, it was only natural that Playboy wanted to do an interview with him. According to former student and friend Andrew Feenberg, Playboy had offered Marcuse “a large sum of money” for the interview. After receiving the call, Feenberg recounts, Marcuse considered the proposition carefully. His philosophy was one of radical social equality, which, for him, included a fulsome commitment to gender equality. As such, he decided “it was impossible for him to do it”. Whatever positive effects Playboy had in loosening over-repressive post-war sexual norms, it was part of a process that objectified and commodified women. 

But instead of simply declining the offer, however, Marcuse told Playboy he would do the interview, but “only if he could be the centrefold”. The thought of the reserved old German professor, with his “long white hair”, “broad nose” and “enormous ears” (Michael G. Horowitz’s description) gracing the now iconic centre pages of Playboy in 1970 is definitely a rousing one. Unfortunately, the idea didn’t fly with the magazine."

Liberation of women comes to NATO rule in Libya

"Women under the age of 60 have been banned from traveling on their own in an area of eastern Libya under the control of a warlord with extensive ties to the CIA. A Libyan government spokesperson confirmed the new policy to the BBC. He also claimed that women who work for civil society groups and travel abroad are being used by foreign intelligence services."

Gun-related death vs Gun ownership worldwide

Gun-related deaths versus gun-ownership--and I am not for the state--any state--monopoly on gun ownership.

A cartoonist at AlJazira (Saudi regime newspaper) mocks women's weight and refers to their stomachs as airbags

Jalal Talbani, dead

This man expelled in the art of political opportunism more than Walid Jumblat.  His political career took him from the far left (he even worked for the organization of Wadi` Haddad although he often exaggerated his role which never involved more than carrying a suitcase or transferring money) to the very far right.  He started his political career working for the Barazani tribal leadership, only to later revolt against it and start an ostensibly leftist organization which rejected feudal landlords.  But later would unite in it when it suited the interests of his lousy political organization.  He could not be called an Iraqi president when his appointment took place under the foreign occupation of the country.  Both he and Masoud Barazani had the blood of Iraqi kurds on their hands, as thousands were killed in the internecine wars between them.  Here is a story about the murder by Talbani's group of Iraqi communists.  He and Masoud would not mind aligning with Saddam Husayn against his Kurdish rival.  The rule of the two groups in Kurdistan was characterized with repression, massive corruption and subservience to outside powers.  I hated this insistence on being referred to by his nickname, as if he was another Ataturk.  I always felt that he was a good liar, more than typical politicians of his generations.  He posed as a different character depending on his audience.  Kamal Khalaf at-Tawil has a good review of his record--a review which you not read in the Western press.  His picture above summarizes his character. 

Some Arab reporters in DC

There are some Arab correspondents in DC who excel in following and mimicking mainstream US journalists in the capital: if they cheer, they cheer with them. If they frown they frown. And if they laugh they laugh with them. And US journalists love to cite them because it is the second best thing to citing oneself. 

Qatari regime and ISIS

It has to be said that Qatari regime media-especially Al-Quds Al-‘Arabi-reports ISIS victories-real or imagined-with great enthusiasm. 

Human Rights Watch isn’t even trying to hide its biases anymore: showing its love for the Jordanian autocracy

Can you imagine a Western human rights organization expressing its love for Iran or Syria or any other autocracy not allied with the US? Can u imagine the uproar? “Expecting better” from Jordanian autocracy? Why? Just because it is allied with Israel?

Nasrallah's speech against anti-Semitism

Today, Nasrallah gave a speech on the `Ashurah religious occasion and he devoted a part of it to clarify that his party does not harbor any ill-will toward Jews as Jews, and that the hostility is directed toward Zionists.  He also made an unprecedented direct appeal to the Jewish people.  This is unprecedented by any standards of Islamist (or non-Islamist) parties in the region.  I guarantee you that not a single media in the West will report this or will translate the segment of the speech.  Those Zionist shops only invest in translating bigoted trash from the Middle East.

Arafat's negotiations with the US in the summer of 1982: beginning of Oslo

My weekly article in Al-Akhbar: "Arafat's negotiations with the US in the summer of 1982: beginning of Oslo".

Why you can't trust anything in Western media about Syria: so he killed Orouba and Hala Barkat in Istanbul? Mystery solved

As soon as the story of the murder of Hala and Orouba Barakat in Istanbul was spread, ALL Western media and correspondents in official media and on social media insisted that the regime was behind the killing (although the killing was by stabbing and strangulation which--if you watch Dateline on NBC--always indicate personal motives).  Here is the Washington Post on the story: "News of the killings sent shock waves through the community of activists who have sought sanctuary in Turkey as dissidents are targeted by Assad’s security forces in their native Syria....In recent months, her Twitter postings commemorated the lives of civil defense workers killed in bombings by pro-Assad forces and lamented the destruction of the northern city of Aleppo, much of it a rebel stronghold until it was recaptured after a punishing government bombardment in December."  But today, the Turkish government found the culprit (shown above): he is a relative who wanted to marry Hala but she turned him down.  He also had fought with the Syrian rebels.  No corrections will be printed in Western media about this.  

PS You guessed it.  Gulf media now have updated the story: they say that this guy (above) was sent by Syrian mukhabarat on orders from Bashshar to kill the two women, despite the jilted lover story.

An official report of Human Rights Watch refers to "rumors" that Hashd killed ISIS prisoners

There no questions that HRW and other Western human rights organizations adhere to different standards when it comes to enemies of Israel and US.  Similarly, they refer to much stricter and higher standards of evidence when it comes to crimes and human rights violations by allies of Israel and US.  This official report of HRW refers to "rumors" regarding killings by Hashd in Iraq.  Do you think that this organization would ever dare to refer to rumors when it comes to war crimes by Israel or its allies in the region?

Do you notice that avalanche of commissioned articles praising the Saudi lifting of the ban on female driving?

I can't believe the extent to which Western media are hailing the Saudi regime for lifting the ban on female driving.  It shows the hypocrisy of Western governments and media. Let me give you an example: if Iranian regime or Syrian regime were to cancel the death penalty--they won't, but stay along for the argument--do you think that any one in Western media would dare write in praise of such a gesture?  But now that we know the extent of GCC funding of DC and London think tanks, we know that those articles praising the Saudi regime are the results of the "string-attached".

Paid Parental leave across OECD

Mustafa Barazani and Saddam Husayn

Barazani

Notice that Western media--and purely because Barazani is an ally of Israel--never talks about the massive corruption, cruelty, and repression which characterize the rule of the Barazanis.

There are no enemies of the Arabs with which Masoud Barazani and his father did not strike alliances

Do you know how hated Levy is in the whole Arab world?

Liz Sly reporting from Beirut: she wrote that there were demonstrations in Sidon

Liz Sly‏Verified account @LizSly

'A Lebanese court just sentenced the Islamist cleric Ahmed al-Asir to death for his role in 2013 clashes. Demonstrations in Sidon now."

Ahmad Al-Asir, the fanatic Al-Qa`idah style Islamist was sentenced to death.  Liz Sly reported "demonstrations" in Sidon in response. I asked people in Sidon, and they reported no demonstrations and said that only wives of the gang of Asir showed up and then were disbanded. See picture from what Liz Sly calls "demonstrations in Sidon".

And this is the picture that people sent me from Sidon.

A Driver's license for an Egyptian woman in 1920

The first Somali fighter jet pilot in 1976

Saudi "reformers" who support the regime are praised and lauded in Western media

But Iranian and Syrian "reformers" who support their regimes are mocked and dismissed as stooges and shabbihah.

Parental-leave packages vary widely across the OECD (you have to click to see the very end, where US is featured).

Do you think that Western media would be as excited if Iranian regime or Syrian regime were to announce a certain reform?

David Ignatius‏ @IgnatiusPost  Sep 26

Bravo to MBS for this big step on women's rights. Hope he moves on other reforms, too, and creates a truly modern KSAhttps://nyti.ms/2k1eNOp

Get a hold of yourself. You are about to fall over.

Cherif Bassiouni and BDS

From EI.

Why Declan Walsh (and many Western correspondents) are clueless about the Middle East: on Mashrou` Leila

"Mashrou’ Leila is a wildly popular band across the Middle East,".  No one who knows anything about Arab culture would say that they are wildly popular.  They have their fans but not to the ridiculous degree described here.  Yesterday, when I read this, I asked a well-known Lebanese musician and singer about this.  He said that they are popular in underground music circles in big urban cities.  But certainly not "wildly popular".  If you pick 100 Arabs at random and ask them about Mashrou` Leila: I would be surprised if more than 1% have heard of them.  Western correspondents are not always reliable on Arab politics, and they are certainly less reliable on Arab culture, especially given the language deficiencies.  

US government urges "dialogue" in response to the secession of Kurdistan

So US government urges Iraqi to engage in dialogue in response to the declaration of independence by the Kurdish tribal feudal and corrupt leadership of Barazani. How did the US federal government react to the secession of the South?  By dialogue?  

Manal Al-Sharif is identified as a "reformer" in Western media: here she says: "they blame me for loving you"

منال مسعود الشريف‏Verified account @manal_alsharif

ويلوموني في حبك

12:56 PM - 26 Sep 2017

To put things in perspective: Latifah An-Nadi (From Egypt) got a license to drive planes back in 1933

She was the first Arab woman to fly planes.

Cherif Bassiouni died

I never met Bassiouni but heard about him and read about him over the years.  What is missing from obituaries about him are references to his role in Anwar Sadat's trip to Israeli occupation state.  Bassiouni was very close to Anwar Sadat and I don't know the origins of the relationship but I know that he managed to have Sadat visit Chicago in 1975 during Sadat's trip to US.  He was very close to him during the period which led to the Camp David accords, and even wrote in a Chicago paper in support of the peace agreement and referred to the moderation of fanatic Menachem Begin.  He "crowned" his career by a lousy commission for the Bahraini regime, which basically legitimized its repression and oppression.  

Colonialism and Third World Quarterly

I am rather shocked about the controversy regarding the pro-colonialism article in Third World Quarterly.  I met the editor of TWQ, Shahid Qadir, when I was still a graduate student at Georgetown University.  I received support and encouragement from Shahid who struck me as a progressive thinker who wanted to bring attention to Middle East issues and causes.  He also invited me to contribute to the annual Third World Affairs.  I never doubted his commitment to "Third World" issues.  But I always got the impression that he exercises editorial authority beyond the powers of a regular editor of an academic journal, which makes him doubly responsible for the publishing of that piece.  

He was banned from UAE for being a born Shi`ite, and yet he provides justification for UAE-Saudi sectarianism

Look at this passage: "I am also a Shiite Muslim born in Lebanon. The U.A.E., like Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Arab states, are worried about Iran’s regional ascendance and its influence over Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. This anxiety fuels a fear that virtually any Shiite in the region could pose a security threat — and could be linked to Iran or its allies."  Imagine if one were to provide similar justification for a ban on Jewish people.

"No, only one side claimed victory"

From Basim: "Hezbollah and Israel fought a month-long war in 2006 that caused heavy casualties, and both sides claimed victory."

Court ok's Hebrew country-club denying membership to surrounding Arabs

From Eyal: "With court approval, Kokhav Yair to continue restricting entry of Tira

residents to the swimming pool

"The Lod (A-Llyd) District Court rejected the petition on grounds of discrimination and authorized that the local country club to sell 90% of its subscriptions only to residents of the settlement (Kokhav Yair - Tzur Yigal). The judge wrote: 'The fear that opening the registry may 

harm the sense of belonging is legitimate.'"

And note that:

* If you think the 10% will actually materialize - don't worry, they're apparently allowed to discriminate further in pre-registration for membership.

* The settlement is named after Yair Stern, leader of the Stern Gang (Lehi); it was unified with Tzur Yigal several years back. They are built on the western side of the 1967 green line - just North of Qalqilya.

* Many top Israeli military officers live or have lived in Kohav Yair, including Lt. Gen. Ehud Bakar, Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz, Shin-Bet head Danny Yatom, Shin-Bet head Gideon Ezra, Maj. Gen. Menahem Einan and Maj. Gen. Uzi Dayan."

Racists, anti-Semitic, Holocaust-deniers love Israel

"But, like many far-right parties in Europe and elsewhere, the AfD presents itself as staunchly supportive of Israel. According to a wide-ranging poll commissioned by a group promoting German-Israeli relations, most AfD politicians profess to care deeply about Israel’s security, support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state, reject unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state, and generally support a stronger relationship between Jerusalem and Berlin. Nearly 90% of the 35 AfD members who were surveyed totally or somewhat support Chancellor Angela Merkel’s dictum that “Israel’s security is Germany’s raison d’etre.” "

New Feminists? By the great Joan W. Scott

""Many of these new feminists and nationalists turned their attention to the veils worn by Muslim women, arguing that they were the very symbol of the immigrants’ purported backwardness, the sign of an intolerable gender inequality alien to the West. The push to rescue Muslim women, Farris argues, was the result of what she terms the “ideological convergence” of calls for gender equality with xenophobic anti-immigrant campaigns—the “femonationalism” mentioned in the subtitle of her book. Femonationalism, she explains, “describes, on the one hand, the attempts of Western European right-wing parties and neoliberals to advance xenophobic and racist politics through the touting of gender equality while, on the other hand, it captures the involvement of various well-known and quite visible feminists and femocrats in the current framing of Islam as a quintessentially misogynistic religion and culture.” ""

Casually, the Washington Post provides justifications for Israeli bombings

"Analysts and former senior Israeli military officers say Israel is showing that it will act with force to protect its interests, while using just enough of it to limit its enemies without sparking a war."

Who is the objective observer cited in an article on Hizbullah in the Washington Post?

A fellow at the Rafiq Hariri center at the Saudi-Hariri-UAE-funded Atlantic Council.  

U.S. arms most dictatorships in the world

"The United States currently supports over 73 percent of the world's dictatorships!" (thanks Amir)

The original book by Bachir Saade on Hizbullah

"Clearly there are many truths in this, but it seems that most understanding of Hizbullah have invariably assumed the existence of a coherent ideology that informs the party’s actions, political practice, and agenda. It is definitely the case that Hizbullah is more effective in a variety of domains, than other political organizations in the region, and so looking at the nature of the ideological and its importance in the political process seemed to me timely more than ever. I gradually discovered through my studies of early writings and media production, that an overarching understanding of ideology was far from being a given, and that in the place of seeing coherent slogans being brandished, it was a particular use of these discursive materials that seems more important to the political process rather than taking at face value their content.

Soon enough, the book became a contribution to a new understanding of what we mean by “ideology” through the study of what I thought was a fascinating political phenomenon of the last three decades. The objective was to explore what is meant by the ideological, in the case of Hizbullah, and on the other to engage in an intellectual history of the party, especially focusing on the early years. As I explain in the book, what was articulated early on became the main template for later ideological production. "

The AUB student publication, Outlook, won't appear for the first time since 1949 due to censorship and restrictions from Fadlo

See the statement here.

Look how Western liberal media celebrate Saudi regime schticks, no matter how small and shallow

"Saudi Arabia allows women into stadium as it steps up reforms". What is next: the Guardian will honor the Saudi royal family for allowing women to ride bicycles?