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