Arabs, Burmese, and A Tale of Two Cities
Tale of Two Cities:
Burma (a.k.a Myanmar) News: “The ruling military junta declared that it has won a 92.3% approval of the constitutional referendum in the second statge of the referendum held in areas devastated by the hurricanes. Voter participation was put at 93% from a total of 4.5 million voters.” Florida, eat your heart out.
Cairo, Egypt News: “The Egyptian People’s Assembly has approved a two year extension of the emergency laws that have been in place since 1981.” The emergency laws allow the government to arrest people for long periods without trial, and it allows civilians to be tried in military courts (so that is why they are called military courts). Human rights organizations claim that many people in Egypt are held for ten years or longer without a trial.
The emergency rule was started when Husni Mubarak became president in 1981. Imagine, many, many Egyptians have spent all their lives not knowing any state other than a state of emergency. It is like a life sentence- with hard labor since you have to look at the leader's visage every day of your life, several times.
Soon, most Egyptians will have known only emergency rule.
Meanwhile, the country is fast moving past second rate Mideast country, and fast becoming a third rate Mideast country...third rate in the Middle East! Not an easy accomplishment. It is now the most famous sidkick of Saudi Arabia.
Isn't it great to be a citizen of the moderate New Middle East?
A Royal Jordanian gem:
King Abdul II, de Jourdanie, has stated that continuation of the Arab-Israeli dispute hampers development in the Middle East. His majesty also opined that the region will continue to suffer instability as long as the Palestinian issue is not resolved. (Damn, he should be appointed head of the IBDRD).
Whip it good:
Saudi authorities are trying to force parties to legal disputes to attend court session for their cases. Apparently absences delay rulings and crowd the courts. Now absentees may get whipped, as in flogged, for their absence. Alarabiya reports that judges may get the permission to impose prison and flogging sentences on these people.
Oil Zakat but no Chevron:
A theological committee of al-Azhar University in Cairo has recommended that a tithe tax (zakat) of 20% be imposed on oil revenues of all Islamic oil producers. It notes that Islamic law allows for one fifth tax on all Moslems.
Soon all will be cleared up when a certain phone call is made from Riyadh to Cairo. The call could as well come from Tehran, or even from Caracas for that matter. This is something that would even agitate Hugo Chavez.
Lebanon haggle:
The Lebanese are now haggling over the new cabinet, which will not be headed by either Mr. Saniora or Mr. Hariri. Saniora is certain to be gone: Arab media report that opposition ministers refused to attend a lunch invitation by the PM, which is a good indication that he can’t be the PM.
Bush vs the Potentates: A falling out?
Some Arab regimes of the moderate New Middle East are openly pissed at President Bush because he actually, for once, did the right thing. He urged increased reform and democratization, criticizing some o them. It has probably finally dawned on him that the potentates are not Jeffersonian democrats (small ‘d’), and that was his parting shot before he left the region.
The potentates and their media, will full participation from their house intellectuals, are blasting Mr. Bush. The question of a US-Iran deal to partition the region is being bandied about in the Saudi media again (they do that whenever they are miffed at the administration, and this time they have added Israel and Syria as the two sidekicks).
Maybe he is just realizing, in the waning pre-Crawford days, that some of these guys have been taking him for a ride for several years now.
Cheers
Mohammed
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Tale of Two Cities:
Burma (a.k.a Myanmar) News: “The ruling military junta declared that it has won a 92.3% approval of the constitutional referendum in the second statge of the referendum held in areas devastated by the hurricanes. Voter participation was put at 93% from a total of 4.5 million voters.” Florida, eat your heart out.
Cairo, Egypt News: “The Egyptian People’s Assembly has approved a two year extension of the emergency laws that have been in place since 1981.” The emergency laws allow the government to arrest people for long periods without trial, and it allows civilians to be tried in military courts (so that is why they are called military courts). Human rights organizations claim that many people in Egypt are held for ten years or longer without a trial.
The emergency rule was started when Husni Mubarak became president in 1981. Imagine, many, many Egyptians have spent all their lives not knowing any state other than a state of emergency. It is like a life sentence- with hard labor since you have to look at the leader's visage every day of your life, several times.
Soon, most Egyptians will have known only emergency rule.
Isn't it great to be a citizen of the moderate New Middle East?
A Royal Jordanian gem:
King Abdul II, de Jourdanie, has stated that continuation of the Arab-Israeli dispute hampers development in the Middle East. His majesty also opined that the region will continue to suffer instability as long as the Palestinian issue is not resolved. (Damn, he should be appointed head of the IBDRD).
Whip it good:
Saudi authorities are trying to force parties to legal disputes to attend court session. Apparently absences delay rulings and crowd the courts. Now absentees may get whipped, as in flogged, for their absence. Alarabiya reports that judges may get the permission to impose prison and flogging sentences on these people.
Oil Zakat but no Chevron:
A theological committee of al-Azhar University in Cairo has recommended that a tithe tax (zakat) of 20% be imposed on oil revenues of all Islamic oil producers. It notes that Islamic law allows for one fifth tax on all Moslems.
Soon all will be cleared up when a certain phone call is made from Riyadh to Cairo. The call could as well come from Tehran, or even from Caracas for that matter. This is something that would even agitate Hugo Chavez.
Lebanon haggle:
The Lebanese are now haggling over the new cabinet, which will not be headed by either Mr. Saniora or Mr. Hariri. Saniora is certain to be gone: Arab media report that opposition ministers refused to attend a lunch invitation by the PM, which is a good indication that he can’t be the PM.
Bush vs the Potentates: A falling out?
Some Arab regimes of the moderate New Middle East are openly pissed at President Bush, because he actually, for once, did the right thing. He urged increased reform and democratization, criticizing some o them. It has probably dawned on him that the potentates are not Jeffersonian democrats (small ‘d’), and that was his parting shot before he left the region.
The potentates and their media, will full participation from their house intellectuals, are blasting Mr. Bush. The question of a US-Iran deal to partition the region is being bandied about in the Saudi media again (they do that whenever they are miffed at the administration and this time they have added Israel and Syria as the two sidekicks).
Maybe he is just realizing, in the waning pre-Crawford days, that some of these guys have been taking him for a ride for several years now.
Cheers
Mohammed
Burma (a.k.a Myanmar) News: “The ruling military junta declared that it has won a 92.3% approval of the constitutional referendum in the second statge of the referendum held in areas devastated by the hurricanes. Voter participation was put at 93% from a total of 4.5 million voters.” Florida, eat your heart out.
Cairo, Egypt News: “The Egyptian People’s Assembly has approved a two year extension of the emergency laws that have been in place since 1981.” The emergency laws allow the government to arrest people for long periods without trial, and it allows civilians to be tried in military courts (so that is why they are called military courts). Human rights organizations claim that many people in Egypt are held for ten years or longer without a trial.
The emergency rule was started when Husni Mubarak became president in 1981. Imagine, many, many Egyptians have spent all their lives not knowing any state other than a state of emergency. It is like a life sentence- with hard labor since you have to look at the leader's visage every day of your life, several times.
Soon, most Egyptians will have known only emergency rule.
Isn't it great to be a citizen of the moderate New Middle East?
A Royal Jordanian gem:
King Abdul II, de Jourdanie, has stated that continuation of the Arab-Israeli dispute hampers development in the Middle East. His majesty also opined that the region will continue to suffer instability as long as the Palestinian issue is not resolved. (Damn, he should be appointed head of the IBDRD).
Whip it good:
Saudi authorities are trying to force parties to legal disputes to attend court session. Apparently absences delay rulings and crowd the courts. Now absentees may get whipped, as in flogged, for their absence. Alarabiya reports that judges may get the permission to impose prison and flogging sentences on these people.
Oil Zakat but no Chevron:
A theological committee of al-Azhar University in Cairo has recommended that a tithe tax (zakat) of 20% be imposed on oil revenues of all Islamic oil producers. It notes that Islamic law allows for one fifth tax on all Moslems.
Soon all will be cleared up when a certain phone call is made from Riyadh to Cairo. The call could as well come from Tehran, or even from Caracas for that matter. This is something that would even agitate Hugo Chavez.
Lebanon haggle:
The Lebanese are now haggling over the new cabinet, which will not be headed by either Mr. Saniora or Mr. Hariri. Saniora is certain to be gone: Arab media report that opposition ministers refused to attend a lunch invitation by the PM, which is a good indication that he can’t be the PM.
Bush vs the Potentates: A falling out?
Some Arab regimes of the moderate New Middle East are openly pissed at President Bush, because he actually, for once, did the right thing. He urged increased reform and democratization, criticizing some o them. It has probably dawned on him that the potentates are not Jeffersonian democrats (small ‘d’), and that was his parting shot before he left the region.
The potentates and their media, will full participation from their house intellectuals, are blasting Mr. Bush. The question of a US-Iran deal to partition the region is being bandied about in the Saudi media again (they do that whenever they are miffed at the administration and this time they have added Israel and Syria as the two sidekicks).
Maybe he is just realizing, in the waning pre-Crawford days, that some of these guys have been taking him for a ride for several years now.
Cheers
Mohammed
Friday, May 23, 2008
Media Notes
Lebanon, Syria and Joe Lieberman:
"Lebanon: permanent solution or a temporary break?"
I say: temporary break. If not, then the Bush administration has been forced to accept a huge defeat in that country after Hizbullah and its allies got almost all what they had demanded. Something must be brewing somewhere: my Middle Eastern conspiracy-sensitive nose tells me that.
So, was Lebanon really lost this week? And how did Joe Lieberman allow that to happen? Can he reverse it if he ever fulfills his new ambition and becomes McCain's Secretary of State?
"Hariri: discussion of Hizbullah weapons was started 'effectively' at Doha." Ah-huh, sure it was 'discussed', but only effectively.
"Solution does not resolve the deep-rooted issues in Lebanon." Were they supposed to?
"Olmert willing to go far in concessions for Syria, provided it breaks with Iran and Hizbullah."
"The enemy insists that Syria break its relations with Iran and Hizbullah" al-Manar, Hizbullah TV.
'The enemy' is the term traditionally used by Arab media and leaders for Israel. It is being used much less now, as reality has set in and delusions have evaporated.
"Italy considers Hamas the source of all evil in the Middle East" Arab quote of an Italian official.
Wagging the dog: "Olmert needs a Syrian breakthrough to divert attention from his corruption investigation scandal."
Algeria: oil, poverty, and human rights:
"Algeria drowns in oil money while its people drown in povery. Oil revenues exceed $81 billion and 40% of the people are below poverty."
And they don't even have ten thousand princes and princelings to support! The forever-ruling FLN of president Bouteflika is not done with the country. There is a lot more screwing, or is that screwing up, to do.
"Algerian woman sentenced to 3 years in prison for converting to Christianity. Six others face prosecution (persecution) for converting without official permission."
So that is how it is done in the more enlightened parts of the moderate New Middle East, the ones with Condi Rice's famous birth pangs of the summer of 2006. Or maybe those were not birth pangs, just the noises made by the select ones who received the cluster bombs dropped exclusively on the southern suburbs of Beirut.
In fairness, I must also mention the Hizbullah rockets that rained on civilian homes across the border in Israel, although those bombs were more 'equal opportunity' missiles and were not as 'selective' as the cluster bombs north of the Lebanese border.
Egyptians against stupidity, especially from the top:
Alarabiya reports that some Egyptians have started a new political movement aimed at reducing the "high levels of stupidity" in their country. It staretd by attacking many stupid state policies that encourage stupidity in the whole population.
They note certain patterns of stupid behavior by the general population as well, such as:
Accepting riding in an extremely overcrowded bus, rather than wait for the next one. (maybe they are not sure the next will be any better)
Not taking the time to read and understand their legal rights, which makes them easy victims for police and other state agents.
It also blames opposition parties that do not plan carefully to mobilize the people against corruption.
The movement, Citizens Against Stupidity (CAS), plans conferences, symposiums, and marches in order to reduce the level of stupidity in government decisions and policies. It also plans to coordinate with other organizations lik Citizens Against Inflation (CAI).
No report yet about what President Mubarak and his son and cabinet think of all that. I suspect they will take it personally, given that stupidity starts at the top (that is, it is a matter of the brain).
Speaking of stupidity at the top: I better check on the date of the next summit of Arab leaders.
Speaking of which, and perhaps as an intro for the next item: the media report that an Egyptian butcher was arrested this week for selling the meat of sick pigs and sick ass (as in jackass) as beef.
"Economic fears unsettle Americans. They reduce their consumption
of fuels but their appetite for food remains undiminished."
Cheers
Mohammed
Lebanon, Syria and Joe Lieberman:
"Lebanon: permanent solution or a temporary break?"
I say: temporary break. If not, then the Bush administration has been forced to accept a huge defeat in that country after Hizbullah and its allies got almost all what they had demanded. Something must be brewing somewhere: my Middle Eastern conspiracy-sensitive nose tells me that.
So, was Lebanon really lost this week? And how did Joe Lieberman allow that to happen? Can he reverse it if he ever fulfills his new ambition and becomes McCain's Secretary of State?
"Hariri: discussion of Hizbullah weapons was started 'effectively' at Doha." Ah-huh, sure it was 'discussed', but only effectively.
"Solution does not resolve the deep-rooted issues in Lebanon." Were they supposed to?
"Olmert willing to go far in concessions for Syria, provided it breaks with Iran and Hizbullah."
"The enemy insists that Syria break its relations with Iran and Hizbullah" al-Manar, Hizbullah TV.
'The enemy' is the term traditionally used by Arab media and leaders for Israel. It is being used much less now, as reality has set in and delusions have evaporated.
"Italy considers Hamas the source of all evil in the Middle East" Arab quote of an Italian official.
Wagging the dog: "Olmert needs a Syrian breakthrough to divert attention from his corruption investigation scandal."
Algeria: oil, poverty, and human rights:
"Algeria drowns in oil money while its people drown in povery. Oil revenues exceed $81 billion and 40% of the people are below poverty."
And they don't even have ten thousand princes and princelings to support! The forever-ruling FLN of president Bouteflika is not done with the country. There is a lot more screwing, or is that screwing up, to do.
"Algerian woman sentenced to 3 years in prison for converting to Christianity. Six others face prosecution (persecution) for converting without official permission."
So that is how it is done in the more enlightened parts of the moderate New Middle East, the ones with Condi Rice's famous birth pangs of the summer of 2006. Or maybe those were not birth pangs, just the noises made by the select ones who received the cluster bombs dropped exclusively on the southern suburbs of Beirut.
In fairness, I must also mention the Hizbullah rockets that rained on civilian homes across the border in Israel, although those bombs were more 'equal opportunity' missiles and were not as 'selective' as the cluster bombs north of the Lebanese border.
Egyptians against stupidity, especially from the top:
Alarabiya reports that some Egyptians have started a new political movement aimed at reducing the "high levels of stupidity" in their country. It staretd by attacking many stupid state policies that encourage stupidity in the whole population.
They note certain patterns of stupid behavior by the general population as well, such as:
Accepting riding in an extremely overcrowded bus, rather than wait for the next one. (maybe they are not sure the next will be any better)
Not taking the time to read and understand their legal rights, which makes them easy victims for police and other state agents.
It also blames opposition parties that do not plan carefully to mobilize the people against corruption.
The movement, Citizens Against Stupidity (CAS), plans conferences, symposiums, and marches in order to reduce the level of stupidity in government decisions and policies. It also plans to coordinate with other organizations lik Citizens Against Inflation (CAI).
No report yet about what President Mubarak and his son and cabinet think of all that. I suspect they will take it personally, given that stupidity starts at the top (that is, it is a matter of the brain).
Speaking of stupidity at the top: I better check on the date of the next summit of Arab leaders.
Speaking of which, and perhaps as an intro for the next item: the media report that an Egyptian butcher was arrested this week for selling the meat of sick pigs and sick ass (as in jackass) as beef.
"Economic fears unsettle Americans. They reduce their consumption
of fuels but their appetite for food remains undiminished."
Cheers
Mohammed
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Lebanon, Syria and Joe Lieberman:
"Lebanon: permanent solution or a temporary break?"
I say: temporary break. If not, then the Bush administration has been forced to accept a huge defeat in that country after Hizbullah and its allies got almost all what they had demanded. Something must be brewing somewhere: my Middle Eastern conspiracy-sensitive nose tells me that.
So, was Lebanon really lost this week? And how did Joe Lieberman allow that to happen? Can he reverse it if he ever fulfills his new ambition and becomes McCain's Secretary of State?
"Hariri: discussion of Hizbullah weapons was started 'effectively' at Doha." Ah-huh, sure it was 'discussed', but only effectively.
"Solution does not resolve the deep-rooted issues in Lebanon." Were they supposed to?
"Olmert willing to go far in concessions for Syria, provided it breaks with Iran and Hizbullah."
"The enemy insists that Syria break its relations with Iran and Hizbullah" al-Manar, Hizbullah TV
'the enemy' is the term traditionall6y used by Arab media and leaders for Israel. It is being used much less now, as reality has set in and delusions have evaporated.
"Italy considers Hamas the source of all evil in the Middle East" Arab quote of an Italian official.
Wagging the dog: "Olmert needs a Syrian breakthrough to divert attention from his corruption investigation scandal."
Algeria: oil, poverty, and human rights:
"Algeria drowns in oil money while its people drown in povery. Oil revenues exceed $81 billion and 40% of the people are below poverty."
And they don't even have ten thousand princes and princelings to support! The forever-ruling FLN of president Bouteflika is not done with the country. There is a lot more screwing, or is that screwing up, to do.
"Algerian woman sentenced to 3 years in prison for converting to Christianity. Six others face prosecution (persecution) for converting without official permission."
So that is how it is done in the more enlightened parts of the moderate New Middle East, the ones with Condi Rice's famous birth pangs of the summer of 2006. Or maybe those were not birth pangs, just the noises made by the select ones who received the cluster bombs dropped exclusively on the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Egyptians against stupidity, especially from the top:
Alarabiya reports that some Egyptians have started a new political movement aimed at reducing the "high levels of stupidity" in their country. It staretd by attacking many stupid state policies that encourage stupidity in the whole population.
They note certain patterns of stupid behavior by the general population as well, such as:
Accepting riding in an extremely overcrowded bus, rather than wait for the next one. (maybe they are not sure the next will be any better)
Not taking the time to read and understand their legal rights, which makes them easy victims for police and other state agents.
It also blames opposition parties that do not plan carefully to mobilize the people against corruption.
The movement, Citizens Against Stupidity (CAS), plans conferences, symposiums, and marches in order to reduce the level of stupidity in government decisions and policies. It also plans to coordinate with other organizations lik Citizens Against Inflation (CAI).
No report yet about what President Mubarak and his son and cabinet think of all that. I suspect they will take it personally, given that stupidity starts at the top, that is, it is a matter of the brain.
Speaking of stupidity at the top, when is the next summit of Arab leaders?
Speaking of which, and perhaps as an intro for the next item: the media report that an Egyptian butcher was arrested this week for selling pig meat and ass meat (as in jackass) as beef.
"Economic fears unsettle Americans. They reduce their consumtion
of fuels but their appetite for food remains undiminished."
Cheers
Mohammed
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Bush visits, oil prices spike again:
Re: my maligned theory of causality between Bush-Cheney Middle East visits and crude oil prices.
Mr. Bush arrived in Saudi Arabia last week, but oil prices preceded him, upward. They moved up when he was en route and they moved up more after his arrival. With each visit, both Mr. Bush and King Abdullah, as well as a gaggle of princes, get richer. The American consumer ends up paying even more for his gasoline and for his heating gas.
And they said he is there to try and reduce crude prices. If he really wants to limit prices, he should stay put in Washington- or, better yet, go back to the ranch in Crawford.
Interesting how about a year ago a Saudi adviser threatened that his country could drown the world in oil and cut prices by half (that was when prices were close to $50-60 per barrel). The idea was that they can hurt the Iranian regime and weaken its influence in Iraq. At the time I suggested that would also hurt the Saudi regime, as they have high unemployment and need a large budget to keep their people happy. Not to mention the adverse effect on the lifestyles of the thousands of princcelings. I was right, n' est-ce pas? Oh, and that adviser was fired quickly, never to be heard from again.
Arab Media Headline Summary:
"The defeat of Hizbullah." (this is a gem, a classic doublespeak from the editor of the Saudi daily asharq alawsat.
"The legend of Hizbullah is finished."
"The leader of Hizbullah is finished."
"Eisenhower reaches Berlin. Eisenhower is finished!" That would be an equivalent 1945 headline in a German daily.
"Bush in Saudia to sign four accords about nuclear energy and protection of oil facilities."
"Hizbullah 'coup' is part of a new Middle East regional system of Iranian hegemony."
"Current Lebanese crisis has further marginalized the Christians."(That is because the Saudi media now dominating the New Middle East did its best to make the complex Lebanese political feud into a sectarian Shi'a-Sunni issue, thus marginalizing the Christians, about half of whom are allies of Hizbullah).
"Jumblatt: what happened is like a summer cloud, it will soon clear up. Concessions are needed." Now what is he up to???
"A new power equation in Lebanon that favors Hizbullah."
"Th great Iranian victory in Lebanon: our congratulations and condolences."
"Lebanon, in the State of Iran."
"The Lebanese crisis in its explosive sectarian phase."
"Washington has reservations on the solution reached to the Lebanese crisis."
"Arab solution: General Suleiman as president, and negotiations over the government."
"The Arab mediators need to return things to the way they were before May 8th." almustaqbal, the Hariri newspaper. (And how does one return all the toothpaste back into the tube? Oh, little silky one?)
"Bush celebrates the anniversary of the 'rape' of Palestine in Israel." Bahrain's Akhbar alkhaleej.
"A London restaurant offers its clients fish slaughtered according to Islamic Shri'a." So, now we have kosher fish.
Cheers
Mohammed
Re: my maligned theory of causality between Bush-Cheney Middle East visits and crude oil prices.
Mr. Bush arrived in Saudi Arabia last week, but oil prices preceded him, upward. They moved up when he was en route and they moved up more after his arrival. With each visit, both Mr. Bush and King Abdullah, as well as a gaggle of princes, get richer. The American consumer ends up paying even more for his gasoline and for his heating gas.
And they said he is there to try and reduce crude prices. If he really wants to limit prices, he should stay put in Washington- or, better yet, go back to the ranch in Crawford.
Interesting how about a year ago a Saudi adviser threatened that his country could drown the world in oil and cut prices by half (that was when prices were close to $50-60 per barrel). The idea was that they can hurt the Iranian regime and weaken its influence in Iraq. At the time I suggested that would also hurt the Saudi regime, as they have high unemployment and need a large budget to keep their people happy. Not to mention the adverse effect on the lifestyles of the thousands of princcelings. I was right, n' est-ce pas? Oh, and that adviser was fired quickly, never to be heard from again.
Arab Media Headline Summary:
"The defeat of Hizbullah." (this is a gem, a classic doublespeak from the editor of the Saudi daily asharq alawsat.
"The legend of Hizbullah is finished."
"The leader of Hizbullah is finished."
"Eisenhower reaches Berlin. Eisenhower is finished!" That would be an equivalent 1945 headline in a German daily.
"Bush in Saudia to sign four accords about nuclear energy and protection of oil facilities."
"Hizbullah 'coup' is part of a new Middle East regional system of Iranian hegemony."
"Current Lebanese crisis has further marginalized the Christians."(That is because the Saudi media now dominating the New Middle East did its best to make the complex Lebanese political feud into a sectarian Shi'a-Sunni issue, thus marginalizing the Christians, about half of whom are allies of Hizbullah).
"Jumblatt: what happened is like a summer cloud, it will soon clear up. Concessions are needed." Now what is he up to???
"A new power equation in Lebanon that favors Hizbullah."
"Th great Iranian victory in Lebanon: our congratulations and condolences."
"Lebanon, in the State of Iran."
"The Lebanese crisis in its explosive sectarian phase."
"Washington has reservations on the solution reached to the Lebanese crisis."
"Arab solution: General Suleiman as president, and negotiations over the government."
"The Arab mediators need to return things to the way they were before May 8th." almustaqbal, the Hariri newspaper. (And how does one return all the toothpaste back into the tube? Oh, little silky one?)
"Bush celebrates the anniversary of the 'rape' of Palestine in Israel." Bahrain's Akhbar alkhaleej.
"A London restaurant offers its clients fish slaughtered according to Islamic Shri'a." So, now we have kosher fish.
Cheers
Mohammed
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
(This entry is from my other web site)
Le Mufti
Mr. Bush and oil prices:
Mr. Bush is heading to the Middle East again! Which means, if past history of such visits is any indication, that oil prices will start rising. Over the past two yeas at least, every time Mr. Bush or Mr. Cheney visited the region oil prices moved up at the end of their visit. This time oil prices spiked up before the visit, as soon as it was announced. The visit was partially discounted by the market. Today it moved up and I expect a brief pullback while he is enroute or on the first day of the trip, perhaps tomorrow or the day after. After that, some time over the next week, look out, it will rise again! The veto-proof Congressional vote today about replenishing the Strategic Reserve may help.
A Mufti has an epiphany, squeals:
In the Arab countries, in fact in almost all Moslem countries, there is someone called a Mufti. he issues religious edict that get a lot of publicity. A Mufti, however, is in fact no more than a religious bureaucrat appointed by the ruler (king, emir, president-for-life, etc.). He always issues edicts that agree with whatever the current ruler's policies are. I do not recall a mufti ever issuing an edict criticizing the government, or disagreeing with its policies. A mufti's job is to support and justify the ruler's actions.
Today the Mufti of Saudi Arabia (the dapper bearded gentleman in the photo above) issued a fatwa, a religious edict during a lecture that Hizbullah does not belong to Islam. He did not explain how he came upon such information, or when he had the epiphany. (In fact the mufti never believed that Shi'as of any stripe belong to Islam).
He said that Hizbullah cooperates with the "Jews", and that it prepares the ground for the entry of Jews and other heathens into the land of Islam.
The Mufti is Shaikh Abdulaziz al-Shaikh, his last name indicating that he is a descendant of Mohammed Bin Abdulwahab the founder of the Wahhabism, the very same ideology that has given us the Salafis, al-Qaeda, Taliban, al-Zarqawi and UBL. He is not to be confused with the great Mohammed Abdelwahab, the late great Egyptian composer and singer who was not a Wahhabi and had nothing with such fundamentalist ideology, as far as I know.
Comments on Lebanon:
My version: The Lebanese are probably the biggest idiots in the Arab world, no mean feat. Every generation or so their warlords start another civil war for which they invariably blame outsiders. They may be right this time: part of the blame lies with the regional and foreign backers of BOTH sides.
Elaph (Saudi) agonizes over "How the Hariri militias collapsed within hours?". It headlines that "fighters assert their leaders betrayed them." It quotes the LA Times that Mr. Hariri depended on hired mercenaries from a specialized company to fight his battles for him. It notes that they surrendered quickly to Hizbullah fighters who truned them over to the Lebanese army. So much for motivation.
Others note that the cabinet will agree to a deal whereby it rescinds its decision about the airport security chief and Hizbullah cimmunications, and the Hizbullah will end the civil disobedience. Probably a non-starter. Most likely Hariri and Co. will agree with the army and rescind the cabinet decisions unilaterally.
Asharq alawsat (Saudi) agonizes over the neutrality of the Lebanese Army: "What a starnge Army!" an article headlines (To which I say: relax, it is only a typical Arab army). Except that the Lebanese Army must remain neutral, otherwise it won't be a "Lebanese army", it would break up into its factions and sects. Maybe this is what they want for it.
The Saudi al-watan editorial warns that "Time is not on our side. It is on the side of al-Qaeda and Hizbullah." Except that al-Qaeda is not related to Hizbullah: it is closer to the editor and his bosses than to Hizbullah.
Mamoun Fandy, who is close to the Saudis and is with one of the "think" tanks in Washington, writes in a Kuwaiti daily (aljareeda) warning against an "Iranian Lobby" in Egypt. Now I have heard everything: an Iranian lobby in Egypt! This is like warning of an Obama lobby in West Virginia. He reminds me of the man at the corner of Telegraph Avenue and Bancroft years ago: he carried a sign that said "The End is Near".
A Jordanian writer who lives in the US has a cute take on events: the battles and the defeat of the Saniora-Hariri were part of a trap set for Hiizbullah, and it fell for it! De Nial is a river in Egypt!
Both Mr. Bush and the Lebanese leaders get some severe criticism. There are hints in the media of the moderate New Middle East (with all the birth pangs) that the rump-cabinet was betrayed by its foreign (and Arab?) friends. That they were encouraged to challenge Hizbullah and were not supported when it foolishly did so.
Cheers
Mohammed
Le Mufti
Mr. Bush and oil prices:
Mr. Bush is heading to the Middle East again! Which means, if past history of such visits is any indication, that oil prices will start rising. Over the past two yeas at least, every time Mr. Bush or Mr. Cheney visited the region oil prices moved up at the end of their visit. This time oil prices spiked up before the visit, as soon as it was announced. The visit was partially discounted by the market. Today it moved up and I expect a brief pullback while he is enroute or on the first day of the trip, perhaps tomorrow or the day after. After that, some time over the next week, look out, it will rise again! The veto-proof Congressional vote today about replenishing the Strategic Reserve may help.
A Mufti has an epiphany, squeals:
In the Arab countries, in fact in almost all Moslem countries, there is someone called a Mufti. he issues religious edict that get a lot of publicity. A Mufti, however, is in fact no more than a religious bureaucrat appointed by the ruler (king, emir, president-for-life, etc.). He always issues edicts that agree with whatever the current ruler's policies are. I do not recall a mufti ever issuing an edict criticizing the government, or disagreeing with its policies. A mufti's job is to support and justify the ruler's actions.
Today the Mufti of Saudi Arabia (the dapper bearded gentleman in the photo above) issued a fatwa, a religious edict during a lecture that Hizbullah does not belong to Islam. He did not explain how he came upon such information, or when he had the epiphany. (In fact the mufti never believed that Shi'as of any stripe belong to Islam).
He said that Hizbullah cooperates with the "Jews", and that it prepares the ground for the entry of Jews and other heathens into the land of Islam.
The Mufti is Shaikh Abdulaziz al-Shaikh, his last name indicating that he is a descendant of Mohammed Bin Abdulwahab the founder of the Wahhabism, the very same ideology that has given us the Salafis, al-Qaeda, Taliban, al-Zarqawi and UBL. He is not to be confused with the great Mohammed Abdelwahab, the late great Egyptian composer and singer who was not a Wahhabi and had nothing with such fundamentalist ideology, as far as I know.
Comments on Lebanon:
My version: The Lebanese are probably the biggest idiots in the Arab world, no mean feat. Every generation or so their warlords start another civil war for which they invariably blame outsiders. They may be right this time: part of the blame lies with the regional and foreign backers of BOTH sides.
Elaph (Saudi) agonizes over "How the Hariri militias collapsed within hours?". It headlines that "fighters assert their leaders betrayed them." It quotes the LA Times that Mr. Hariri depended on hired mercenaries from a specialized company to fight his battles for him. It notes that they surrendered quickly to Hizbullah fighters who truned them over to the Lebanese army. So much for motivation.
Others note that the cabinet will agree to a deal whereby it rescinds its decision about the airport security chief and Hizbullah cimmunications, and the Hizbullah will end the civil disobedience. Probably a non-starter. Most likely Hariri and Co. will agree with the army and rescind the cabinet decisions unilaterally.
Asharq alawsat (Saudi) agonizes over the neutrality of the Lebanese Army: "What a starnge Army!" an article headlines (To which I say: relax, it is only a typical Arab army). Except that the Lebanese Army must remain neutral, otherwise it won't be a "Lebanese army", it would break up into its factions and sects. Maybe this is what they want for it.
The Saudi al-watan editorial warns that "Time is not on our side. It is on the side of al-Qaeda and Hizbullah." Except that al-Qaeda is not related to Hizbullah: it is closer to the editor and his bosses than to Hizbullah.
Mamoun Fandy, who is close to the Saudis and is with one of the "think" tanks in Washington, writes in a Kuwaiti daily (aljareeda) warning against an "Iranian Lobby" in Egypt. Now I have heard everything: an Iranian lobby in Egypt! This is like warning of an Obama lobby in West Virginia. He reminds me of the man at the corner of Telegraph Avenue and Bancroft years ago: he carried a sign that said "The End is Near".
A Jordanian writer who lives in the US has a cute take on events: the battles and the defeat of the Saniora-Hariri were part of a trap set for Hiizbullah, and it fell for it! De Nial is a river in Egypt!
Both Mr. Bush and the Lebanese leaders get some severe criticism. There are hints in the media of the moderate New Middle East (with all the birth pangs) that the rump-cabinet was betrayed by its foreign (and Arab?) friends. That they were encouraged to challenge Hizbullah and were not supported when it foolishly did so.
Cheers
Mohammed
The Mufti
(This is reproduced from my other web site of last night: www.ArabiaDeserta.com):
Mr. Bush and oil prices:
Mr. Bush is heading to the Middle East again!
Which means, if past history of such visits is any indication, that oil prices will start rising. Over the past two yeas at least, every time Mr. Bush or Mr. Chebey visited the region oil prices moved up at the end of their visit. This time oil prices spiked up before the visit, as soon as it was announced. The visit was partially discounted by the market. Today it moved up and I expect a brief pullback while he is enroute or on the first day of the trip, perhaps tomorrow or the day after. After that, some time over the next week, look out, it will rise again! The veto-proof Congressional vote today about replenishing the Strategic Reserve may help.
A Mufti has an epiphany, squeals:
In the Arab countries, in fact in almost all Moslem countries, there is someone called a Mufti. he issues religious edict that get a lot of publicity. A Mufti, however, is in fact no more than a religious bureaucrat appointed by the ruler (king, emir, president-for-life, etc.). He always issues edicts that agree with whatever the current ruler's policies are. I do not recall a mufti ever issuing an edict criticizing the government, or disagreeing with its policies. A mufti's job is to support and justify the ruler's actions.
Today the Mufti of Saudi Arabia (the dapper bearded gentleman in the photo above) issued a fatwa, a religious edict during a lecture that Hizbullah does not belong to Islam. He did not explain how he came upon such information, or when he had the epiphany. (In fact the mufti never believed that Shi'as of any stripe belong to Islam).
He said that Hizbullah cooperates with the "Jews", and that it prepares the ground for the entry of Jews and other heathens into the land of Islam.
The Mufti is Shaikh Abdulaziz al-Shaikh, his last name indicating that he is a descendant of Mohammed Bin Abdulwahab the founder of the Wahhabism, the very same ideology that has given us the Salafis, al-Qaeda, Taliban, al-Zarqawi and UBL. He is not to be confused with the great Mohammed Abdelwahab, the late great Egyptian composer and singer who was not a Wahhabi and had nothing with such fundamentalist ideology, as far as I know.
Comments on Lebanon:
My version: The Lebanese are probably the biggest idiots in the Arab world, no mean feat. Every generation or so their warlords start another civil war for which they invariably blame outsiders. They may be right this time: part of the blame lies with the regional and foreign backers of BOTH sides.
Elaph (Saudi) agonizes over "How the Hariri militias collapsed within hours?". It headlines that "fighters assert their leaders betrayed them." It quotes the LA Times that Mr. Hariri depended on hired mercenaries from a specialized company to fight his battles for him. It notes that they surrendered quickly to Hizbullah fighters who truned them over to the Lebanese army. So much for motivation.
Others note that the cabinet will agree to a deal whereby it rescinds its decision about the airport security chief and Hizbullah cimmunications, and the Hizbullah will end the civil disobedience. Probably a non-starter. Most likely Hariri and Co. will agree with the army and rescind the cabinet decisions unilaterally.
Asharq alawsat (Saudi) agonizes over the neutrality of the Lebanese Army: "What a starnge Army!" an article headlines (To which I say: relax, it is only a typical Arab army). Except that the Lebanese Army must remain neutral, otherwise it won't be a "Lebanese army", it would break up into its factions and sects. Maybe this is what they want for it.
The Saudi al-watan editorial warns that "Time is not on our side. It is on the side of al-Qaeda and Hizbullah." Except that al-Qaeda is not related to Hizbullah: it is closer to the editor and his bosses than to Hizbullah.
Mamoun Fandy, who is close to the Saudis and is with one of the "think" tanks in Washington, writes in a Kuwaiti daily (aljareeda) warning against an "Iranian Lobby" in Egypt. Now I have heard everything: an Iranian lobby in Egypt! This is like warning of an Obama lobby in West Virginia. He reminds me of the man at the corner of Telegraph Avenue and Bancroft years ago: he carried a sign that said "The End is Near".
A Jordanian writer who lives in the US, a Mr. al-Nabulsi, has a cute take on events: the battles and the defeat of the Saniora-Hariri were part of a trap set for Hiizbullah, and it fell for it! De Nial is a river in Egypt- n'est-ce pas?!
Both Mr. Bush and the Lebanese leaders get some severe criticism. There are hints in the media of the moderate New Middle East (with all the birth pangs) that the rump-cabinet was betrayed by its foreign (and Arab?) friends. That they were encouraged to challenge Hizbullah and were not supported when it foolishly did so.
Cheers
Mohammed
(This is reproduced from my other web site of last night: www.ArabiaDeserta.com):
Mr. Bush and oil prices:
Mr. Bush is heading to the Middle East again!
Which means, if past history of such visits is any indication, that oil prices will start rising. Over the past two yeas at least, every time Mr. Bush or Mr. Chebey visited the region oil prices moved up at the end of their visit. This time oil prices spiked up before the visit, as soon as it was announced. The visit was partially discounted by the market. Today it moved up and I expect a brief pullback while he is enroute or on the first day of the trip, perhaps tomorrow or the day after. After that, some time over the next week, look out, it will rise again! The veto-proof Congressional vote today about replenishing the Strategic Reserve may help.A Mufti has an epiphany, squeals:
In the Arab countries, in fact in almost all Moslem countries, there is someone called a Mufti. he issues religious edict that get a lot of publicity. A Mufti, however, is in fact no more than a religious bureaucrat appointed by the ruler (king, emir, president-for-life, etc.). He always issues edicts that agree with whatever the current ruler's policies are. I do not recall a mufti ever issuing an edict criticizing the government, or disagreeing with its policies. A mufti's job is to support and justify the ruler's actions.
Today the Mufti of Saudi Arabia (the dapper bearded gentleman in the photo above) issued a fatwa, a religious edict during a lecture that Hizbullah does not belong to Islam. He did not explain how he came upon such information, or when he had the epiphany. (In fact the mufti never believed that Shi'as of any stripe belong to Islam).
He said that Hizbullah cooperates with the "Jews", and that it prepares the ground for the entry of Jews and other heathens into the land of Islam.
The Mufti is Shaikh Abdulaziz al-Shaikh, his last name indicating that he is a descendant of Mohammed Bin Abdulwahab the founder of the Wahhabism, the very same ideology that has given us the Salafis, al-Qaeda, Taliban, al-Zarqawi and UBL. He is not to be confused with the great Mohammed Abdelwahab, the late great Egyptian composer and singer who was not a Wahhabi and had nothing with such fundamentalist ideology, as far as I know.
Comments on Lebanon:
My version: The Lebanese are probably the biggest idiots in the Arab world, no mean feat. Every generation or so their warlords start another civil war for which they invariably blame outsiders. They may be right this time: part of the blame lies with the regional and foreign backers of BOTH sides.
Elaph (Saudi) agonizes over "How the Hariri militias collapsed within hours?". It headlines that "fighters assert their leaders betrayed them." It quotes the LA Times that Mr. Hariri depended on hired mercenaries from a specialized company to fight his battles for him. It notes that they surrendered quickly to Hizbullah fighters who truned them over to the Lebanese army. So much for motivation.
Others note that the cabinet will agree to a deal whereby it rescinds its decision about the airport security chief and Hizbullah cimmunications, and the Hizbullah will end the civil disobedience. Probably a non-starter. Most likely Hariri and Co. will agree with the army and rescind the cabinet decisions unilaterally.
Asharq alawsat (Saudi) agonizes over the neutrality of the Lebanese Army: "What a starnge Army!" an article headlines (To which I say: relax, it is only a typical Arab army). Except that the Lebanese Army must remain neutral, otherwise it won't be a "Lebanese army", it would break up into its factions and sects. Maybe this is what they want for it.
The Saudi al-watan editorial warns that "Time is not on our side. It is on the side of al-Qaeda and Hizbullah." Except that al-Qaeda is not related to Hizbullah: it is closer to the editor and his bosses than to Hizbullah.
Mamoun Fandy, who is close to the Saudis and is with one of the "think" tanks in Washington, writes in a Kuwaiti daily (aljareeda) warning against an "Iranian Lobby" in Egypt. Now I have heard everything: an Iranian lobby in Egypt! This is like warning of an Obama lobby in West Virginia. He reminds me of the man at the corner of Telegraph Avenue and Bancroft years ago: he carried a sign that said "The End is Near".
A Jordanian writer who lives in the US, a Mr. al-Nabulsi, has a cute take on events: the battles and the defeat of the Saniora-Hariri were part of a trap set for Hiizbullah, and it fell for it! De Nial is a river in Egypt- n'est-ce pas?!
Both Mr. Bush and the Lebanese leaders get some severe criticism. There are hints in the media of the moderate New Middle East (with all the birth pangs) that the rump-cabinet was betrayed by its foreign (and Arab?) friends. That they were encouraged to challenge Hizbullah and were not supported when it foolishly did so.
Cheers
Mohammed
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The pro-Saudi rump cabinet of Lebanon has suffered a stinging political and military defeat this week. It was an unnecessary defeat that they walked into through blunder. Or perhaps they were trapped into it by the mouth of Walid Jumblatt, their Druze warlord ally. A good measure of the defeat is the reaction of their financiers and friends in the region to recent events in Beirut:
A pissed-off Asharq alawsat, mouthpiece of Saudi Prince Salman, said today that there are two sides in Lebanon: thugs and "respectable" ones, armed ones and civilians, outlaws and those who are law-abiding.
Even the somnolent President Husni Mubarak of Egypt (80 years this week) awoke from his long nap to assert that he will not allow a force supported by Iran to dominate Lebanon. President Mugabe Mubarak them went back to his 27 year old nap.
Aalquds alarabi notes that when Messrs Saniora, Hariri, and Jumblatt, find themselves trapped in their headquarters, this is a clear indication of where the balance of power in Lebanon lies. It specualtes that perhaps the American-Saudi-Israeli axis forced this issue in order to show Hizbullah as a militia that would use its force not just against the Israelis, but also against fellow Lebanese. In fact reaction in some Saudi media outlets seem to support this point of view.
It looks like the Lebanese cabinet, what is left of it, has just lost a battle of nerves, wills, and arms with the oppposition led by Hizbullah. Mr. Hariri, the real leader of the pro-government and Saudi Arabia's man in Beirut, called on the army to arbitrate. The army did just that yesterday: it rescinded the cabinet decision to fire the chief of airport security and to dimantle the Hizbullah communications network.
It is not clear why the cabinet took its earlier decision, right after Druze warlord Jumblatt unexpectedly called for such measures. Speculation is that the rump-cabinet was promised support, otherwise it would not have the guts to act on its own in such a provocative way. Presumably, some Arab media hint, it was encouraged by its Saudi-American paymasters.
Mr. Hariri returned recently from somewhere outside of Lebanon, materializing right before the crisis. He owns homes in Saudi Arabia and Paris, among other places. He was doing a Muqtada (as in al-Sadr) by vanishing among his foreign and regional friends in times of crisis. This time, after Hizbullah routed the militias of the rump-cabinet, the neutral Lebanese army has spoken, and it has handed the pro-cabinet forces a stinging political defeat to match their military defeat.
al-Manar TV, mouthpiece of Hizbullah, claims that Hariri returned with strong Saudi prmises of support. It also claims that the Bush administration has promised to increase pressure on the Syrian regime through massing naval forces and bringing up the issue of a possible nuclear program. It also reports that Hariri has sent a delegation including 11 Shi'as to Washington, with the goal of proving to Congressmen that all Lebanese Shi'as do not support Hizbullah. Now we know that at least 11 of them do not.
The pro-cabinet media charges that Iran is trying too reach the Mediterranean through Lebanon. The opposition charges that the Saudis are trying to extend their influence to the shores of the Mediteranean through Mr. Hariri and Mr. Saniora in Lebanon. Both are partly right and they know it. The situation in Lebanon is more complex than the mere Shi'a-Sunni and Iranian-American conflict. At least half of Lebanon's Christians are siding with Hizbullah and Amal, as do some prominent Sunnis. even though the Saudi media tries hard to make it into a sectarian conflict and sharpen the lines.
Cheers
Mohammed
A pissed-off Asharq alawsat, mouthpiece of Saudi Prince Salman, said today that there are two sides in Lebanon: thugs and "respectable" ones, armed ones and civilians, outlaws and those who are law-abiding.
Even the somnolent President Husni Mubarak of Egypt (80 years this week) awoke from his long nap to assert that he will not allow a force supported by Iran to dominate Lebanon. President Mugabe Mubarak them went back to his 27 year old nap.
Aalquds alarabi notes that when Messrs Saniora, Hariri, and Jumblatt, find themselves trapped in their headquarters, this is a clear indication of where the balance of power in Lebanon lies. It specualtes that perhaps the American-Saudi-Israeli axis forced this issue in order to show Hizbullah as a militia that would use its force not just against the Israelis, but also against fellow Lebanese. In fact reaction in some Saudi media outlets seem to support this point of view.
It looks like the Lebanese cabinet, what is left of it, has just lost a battle of nerves, wills, and arms with the oppposition led by Hizbullah. Mr. Hariri, the real leader of the pro-government and Saudi Arabia's man in Beirut, called on the army to arbitrate. The army did just that yesterday: it rescinded the cabinet decision to fire the chief of airport security and to dimantle the Hizbullah communications network.
It is not clear why the cabinet took its earlier decision, right after Druze warlord Jumblatt unexpectedly called for such measures. Speculation is that the rump-cabinet was promised support, otherwise it would not have the guts to act on its own in such a provocative way. Presumably, some Arab media hint, it was encouraged by its Saudi-American paymasters.
Mr. Hariri returned recently from somewhere outside of Lebanon, materializing right before the crisis. He owns homes in Saudi Arabia and Paris, among other places. He was doing a Muqtada (as in al-Sadr) by vanishing among his foreign and regional friends in times of crisis. This time, after Hizbullah routed the militias of the rump-cabinet, the neutral Lebanese army has spoken, and it has handed the pro-cabinet forces a stinging political defeat to match their military defeat.
al-Manar TV, mouthpiece of Hizbullah, claims that Hariri returned with strong Saudi prmises of support. It also claims that the Bush administration has promised to increase pressure on the Syrian regime through massing naval forces and bringing up the issue of a possible nuclear program. It also reports that Hariri has sent a delegation including 11 Shi'as to Washington, with the goal of proving to Congressmen that all Lebanese Shi'as do not support Hizbullah. Now we know that at least 11 of them do not.
The pro-cabinet media charges that Iran is trying too reach the Mediterranean through Lebanon. The opposition charges that the Saudis are trying to extend their influence to the shores of the Mediteranean through Mr. Hariri and Mr. Saniora in Lebanon. Both are partly right and they know it. The situation in Lebanon is more complex than the mere Shi'a-Sunni and Iranian-American conflict. At least half of Lebanon's Christians are siding with Hizbullah and Amal, as do some prominent Sunnis. even though the Saudi media tries hard to make it into a sectarian conflict and sharpen the lines.
Cheers
Mohammed
Thursday, May 08, 2008
(This entry is from my web site):
The Rice and Bush Oil Effect:
Crude prices passed $122 this morning, which proves my theory of a strong causality between the movements of Air Forces One & Two and oil prices. Anyone remember my often stated theory that oil prices are directly related to visits by high US officials to the Middle East? How visits by President Bush and Mr Cheney are immediately followed by crude price hikes? Now we can add Condi Rice to the list of oil price movers.
Only last week there was serious talk of oil going down below $100, perhaps back to $80 or less, the wild Nigerian guerrillas and striking oil workers nontwithstanding. The bullish predictions of Professor Economides were pooh poohed by market 'analysts', even though he has been right more often than most of them.
Then it was announced that Secretary Rice is going to the Mddle East in order to, get this, prepare the ground for yet ANOTHR Bush visit. I was out of town two days ago and missed the implications. I missed the spike in prices that followed the next day. I could kick myself for missing the sure signals to make some money, if I could, that is.
It looks like Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, and Ms. Rice will manage to keep oil prices robust for the rest of their term. Now, if Cheney has Halliburton holdings in some kind of a lockbox, then the lockbox will be unlocked come January and, voila! It sure beats having bought property in California’s Inland Empire or along Florida’s geriatric strip. And if there is to be a third Bush term under John McCain...
A Long Hot Summer:
Things are heating up in the old and New Middle East. It looks like like it is possible to have more of Condi Rice’s famous bang-bang birth pangs before the end of the year, either in Iraq, Iran, or over Lebanon.
In Lebanon, the frustrated rump cabinet (of part of Beirut) has transferred the general who is chief of airport security for being too soft on Hizbullah. The rump cabinet accused Hizbullah of operating its own communications systm (is that like Verizon?) and installing spy cameras around the airport. Imagine, spying on your political, and potential military, rivals. What is Lebanon coming to.
The issue came to head after Druze warlord Jumblatt was assigned the role of raising it noisily as is his style, and he called for removal of the airport security chief. The opposition, including Hizbullah, retorted that this is part of a plan to internationalise Beirut Airport and its surroundings and place them under foreign control. I am not sure what foreign country will want to place its troops anywhere near Beirut airport, even if they are under UN command. The area had a tragic history during the 1980s. Lebanese alliances are notoriously unstable and treacherous- just look at General Oun and Waleed Jumblatt.
Hizbullah has rejected the charges and refuses to dismantle its communications network. The cabinet considers the network as impinging on its authority, but the opposition does not recognize that authority. This network has been talked about in the media of the moderate New Middle East for over a year now, which means that something may be brewing for the summer.
Of course the selection of a Lebanese president has been postponed again. With the economy moving along as it is doing, does anybody other than the rival warlords really care? It may get postponed indefinitely, until either the Second Coming or until the Mahdi reappears, whichever comes first.
Iran is back in the crosshairs, this time for both the nuclear issue and for things it may be doing in Iraq against US soldiers with its devices. The question of who will “take out” the mullahs is being bandied about in some Gulf newspapers. Some newspapers seem to think that once the United States, or Israel, bomb some sites in Iran, probably the worng sites, then everything will be just fine on the shores of our Gulf: all the potentates will hold hands and sing Kumbaya forever.
But wasn’t that what we thought when Saddam was in the crosshairs? And years before that when the earlier mullahs were in Saddam's crosshairs? And years before that when the shah was in Khomeini's crosshairs? As Pete Seeger said "Oh, when will they ever learn"?
Family Awards and Blue-Collar Kings
This has been a month of more awards in the Arab world.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has received the Abu Bakr Award (Abu-Bakr, the Second Caliph, no less) of the first class from the Arab Organization for the Red Crescent and Red Cross. This was in appreciation of his humanitarian efforts. This is the third or fourth award his majesty has received so far this year. And how many has Bush received? For that matter: how many did Mother Teresa receive?
Princess al-Jawhara (the Jewel, or is it the Gem) has received an ward from the King of Bahrain for aiding (and abetting?) the Arabian Gulf University and establishing a medical research center.
The one award that was not within the family was largely ignored by the local press. It was given to a Saudi human rights activist, an independent one not of those sanctioned and appointed by the rulers. He is A. al-Lahim and the award is from the American Bar Association. But he won’t have a gaggle of princes to fete him. He is banned from traveling and has been disbarred to boot. So, no schnapps at the zwolf-apostelkeller for him next July, that is if he is so inclined.
Mr. al-Lahim was gracious enough to state that the award is a crowning achievement for human rights in his country. He may yet get to Vienna, but only with a “magnanimous” kingly decision (that is, a decision by the king). Arab potentates love doing this type of theatrics: at the last minute they pardon someone who was never guilty. They can teach Hillary Clinton a few things about public politicking- but she has them beat in one respect:they can never claim to come from blue-collar roots. Whatever color they are, they are not blue.
Cheers
Mohammed
The Rice and Bush Oil Effect:
Crude prices passed $122 this morning, which proves my theory of a strong causality between the movements of Air Forces One & Two and oil prices. Anyone remember my often stated theory that oil prices are directly related to visits by high US officials to the Middle East? How visits by President Bush and Mr Cheney are immediately followed by crude price hikes? Now we can add Condi Rice to the list of oil price movers.
Only last week there was serious talk of oil going down below $100, perhaps back to $80 or less, the wild Nigerian guerrillas and striking oil workers nontwithstanding. The bullish predictions of Professor Economides were pooh poohed by market 'analysts', even though he has been right more often than most of them.
Then it was announced that Secretary Rice is going to the Mddle East in order to, get this, prepare the ground for yet ANOTHR Bush visit. I was out of town two days ago and missed the implications. I missed the spike in prices that followed the next day. I could kick myself for missing the sure signals to make some money, if I could, that is.
It looks like Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, and Ms. Rice will manage to keep oil prices robust for the rest of their term. Now, if Cheney has Halliburton holdings in some kind of a lockbox, then the lockbox will be unlocked come January and, voila! It sure beats having bought property in California’s Inland Empire or along Florida’s geriatric strip. And if there is to be a third Bush term under John McCain...
A Long Hot Summer:
Things are heating up in the old and New Middle East. It looks like like it is possible to have more of Condi Rice’s famous bang-bang birth pangs before the end of the year, either in Iraq, Iran, or over Lebanon.
In Lebanon, the frustrated rump cabinet (of part of Beirut) has transferred the general who is chief of airport security for being too soft on Hizbullah. The rump cabinet accused Hizbullah of operating its own communications systm (is that like Verizon?) and installing spy cameras around the airport. Imagine, spying on your political, and potential military, rivals. What is Lebanon coming to.
The issue came to head after Druze warlord Jumblatt was assigned the role of raising it noisily as is his style, and he called for removal of the airport security chief. The opposition, including Hizbullah, retorted that this is part of a plan to internationalise Beirut Airport and its surroundings and place them under foreign control. I am not sure what foreign country will want to place its troops anywhere near Beirut airport, even if they are under UN command. The area had a tragic history during the 1980s. Lebanese alliances are notoriously unstable and treacherous- just look at General Oun and Waleed Jumblatt.
Hizbullah has rejected the charges and refuses to dismantle its communications network. The cabinet considers the network as impinging on its authority, but the opposition does not recognize that authority. This network has been talked about in the media of the moderate New Middle East for over a year now, which means that something may be brewing for the summer.
Of course the selection of a Lebanese president has been postponed again. With the economy moving along as it is doing, does anybody other than the rival warlords really care? It may get postponed indefinitely, until either the Second Coming or until the Mahdi reappears, whichever comes first.
Iran is back in the crosshairs, this time for both the nuclear issue and for things it may be doing in Iraq against US soldiers with its devices. The question of who will “take out” the mullahs is being bandied about in some Gulf newspapers. Some newspapers seem to think that once the United States, or Israel, bomb some sites in Iran, probably the worng sites, then everything will be just fine on the shores of our Gulf: all the potentates will hold hands and sing Kumbaya forever.
But wasn’t that what we thought when Saddam was in the crosshairs? And years before that when the earlier mullahs were in Saddam's crosshairs? And years before that when the shah was in Khomeini's crosshairs? As Pete Seeger said "Oh, when will they ever learn"?
Family Awards and Blue-Collar Kings
This has been a month of more awards in the Arab world.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has received the Abu Bakr Award (Abu-Bakr, the Second Caliph, no less) of the first class from the Arab Organization for the Red Crescent and Red Cross. This was in appreciation of his humanitarian efforts. This is the third or fourth award his majesty has received so far this year. And how many has Bush received? For that matter: how many did Mother Teresa receive?
Princess al-Jawhara (the Jewel, or is it the Gem) has received an ward from the King of Bahrain for aiding (and abetting?) the Arabian Gulf University and establishing a medical research center.
The one award that was not within the family was largely ignored by the local press. It was given to a Saudi human rights activist, an independent one not of those sanctioned and appointed by the rulers. He is A. al-Lahim and the award is from the American Bar Association. But he won’t have a gaggle of princes to fete him. He is banned from traveling and has been disbarred to boot. So, no schnapps at the zwolf-apostelkeller for him next July, that is if he is so inclined.
Mr. al-Lahim was gracious enough to state that the award is a crowning achievement for human rights in his country. He may yet get to Vienna, but only with a “magnanimous” kingly decision (that is, a decision by the king). Arab potentates love doing this type of theatrics: at the last minute they pardon someone who was never guilty. They can teach Hillary Clinton a few things about public politicking- but she has them beat in one respect:they can never claim to come from blue-collar roots. Whatever color they are, they are not blue.
Cheers
Mohammed
Monday, May 05, 2008
The Martian, Iraq, and Iran:
Is the war in Iraq still going on? Or has the mission been finally accomplished? That may be the impression a proverbial Martian would get from watching cable news channels: Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc.
(Of course if he watched Fox News every day, he would wonder if it is not about time to start a new overdue war with some place called Iran, which confuses him).
The Martian and Polygamy:
He, the Martian, or she the Martianette would think that a retired black pastor with a small moustache and a smirk for the deserving cable TV cameras is the main problem facing the planet Earth.
Had the Martian landed last week, he would have thought that a desert compound for a polygamist sect was the main problem facing the planet Earth. He would note with amusement the location of the compound in a place called Texas eerily resembling some of the arid lands near Valles Marineris.
He hears that this Texas place is supposed to be renowned for its steers and beers, among other things. He is surprised that they are still not sure who won in the elections in Texas, but he thinks it funny that people in another place called Florida do not seem able to organize a smooth vote.
Hill, Bill, cojones and chest hair:
A labor official pushed Hillary Clinton's candidacy today by stating that the country needs a president with "testicular fortitude" a.k.a balls, cojones. In that case perhaps Mrs. Clintoin can enjoy the benefits of a good niche Lebanese film called "Caramel". The film evolves around women in a salon that specializes in hair removal: they use the sweet sticky brown stuff and they munch on it. But the film is almost a chick flick, which may be dangerous territory for the recently macho New York Senator. It certainly will not put any hair on her chest.
No, Rocky Balboa never made it to that salon in Beirut, but maybe Rambo did, which puts it right up the alley of the self-annointed obliteratrix.
The Martian and Democrats:
Somewhere in between these two weeks, the Martian would have thought that the whole planet was concerned with the strenuous efforts of an affable white-haired man, elegantly dressed, in offering up his wife who apparently likes to wear pantsuits. He would not know what he is offering her for. Is she for sale? Is she offered as a sacrificial non-virgin for some peculiar god? Is he trying to get rid of her in order to buy a new wife?
He would hear about someone named Obama and hear questions about whether he has distanced himself enough from something or someone named 'the reverend'. He would conclude that this Obama is some sort of evil spirit that threatens the planet. That is, if Martians believe in evil spirits.
He would hear the same reports and the same mantra repeated all days, for many days, and he wonders why. Then it dawns on him that perhaps these Earth people are either natural slow learners, or perhaps the news anchor people are as dumb as those distant Mercurians he had met. He notes that some of them, including a loud famous radio commentator, pride themselves on coming from a place called the "show me state", which reinforces his conviction that they are too dull to imagine, and that they need to be shown everything.
The Martian would also wonder about some unseen super-creatures so powerful that he cannot imagine what they look like. Creatures that apparently no ordinary human can see, let alone a humble Martian. Creatures only whispered about in the repetitive cable TV newsrooms and in the other corridors of power. And he would wonder: who the hell are these super-delegates?
Cheers
Mohammed
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)