Some Arab media, particularly those owned by Saudi Arabia and in the Gulf monarchies are complaining that elections in Syria are not fair or real. That is true, elections in Syria are rigged so that the regime will stay in power- after all, this is still an Arab country. But then again, elections in Saudi Arabia do not even exist. In almost all Arab countries that have elections, they are either rigged or limited to bodies with hardly any powers.

Saudi media quote officials that at least four of the Fath al-Islam jihadists who were killed in the battles with the Lebanoese army were Saudis. Others are listed as from several other Arab countries. Some in th media wonder why, if only about 200 armed fundies are in the camp near Tripoli, does the Lebanese army need eight huge transport plane shipments of U.S weapons? The Lebanese army is based on a balance among the various sectors, Shi'a-Sunni-Christian, and any attempt to involve it in internal political disputes will lead to its break-up along sectarian lines. It must be kept out of inter-Lebanese conflicts, otherwise it will break up.

Interesting article by Frank Rich in today's NYT, about how the administration is scapegoating the Iraqi government for its own monumental failures in Iraq.

In Algeria, President Abdulaziz Bouteflika is going to 'allow' a constitutional change that would keep him president beyond his two terms. He wil become anothet Arab despot for life, instead of a despot for two terms only. Bouteflika's party, the FLN or NLF (but never the NFL) really screwed up Algeria's economy and politics for four decades, with the eager participation of little Abdul Bouteflika himself. He broke away for a while, went into blissful French exile, but the military summoned him to power and intends, in true FLN and military fashion, hang onto it for life. Just like everyone else in the Arab World, with the possible exception of Iraq and perhaps one or two other states.

Cheers
Mohammed