Ahmadinejad's performance today at Columbia University was true to form. A former professor, he also acted the politician and made several evasive answers, especially about the holocaust. He avoided most potentially embarrassing issues. He did make one clearly truthful answer: when Saddam Hussein used chemical and biological weapons against his country's troops, the West, especially the United States under Reagan was at best silent.
I did learn something new from him: that they have a don't ask, don't tell, (and don't tap?) policy regarding sexual preference in theocratic Iran, which is in line with the rest of the region. I suspect that one was a whopper.
What gave Ahmadinejad his advantage was the poor performance o Mr. Bollinger of Columbia. His introduction was ungracious and longer the the speech itself, a sure mark of a boor. He was so eager to pander to his vocal critics that he made a mockery of the notion that Columbia was a neutral academic venue where the little Iranian can answer, and occasionally evade, members of academia. Normally you give the man a chance to speak before dumping on him: and you dont call a president who was elected, can run for one more term only, and may lose the next election a petty dictator.
Cheers
Mohammed
Monday, September 24, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The situation in Iraq can be summarized in one word: Blackwater.
Blackwater symbolizes the failure of both the US and the Iraqi government to secure the center of the country- effectively the only region in Iraq that is still contested by various ethnic and sectarian groups. The center is the only contested region in what is effectively a confederacy of regions and provinces.
In this, Blackwater's case resembles something out of a dark futuristic film, where private companies oversee security, law and order and the central authority is a vague concept. It is what might happen to security and law enforcement if they are handed over to private profit-making companies run by MBAs (not necessarily out of Harvard). Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against MBAs, I may be worse in running law and order: I have a PhD in Monetary Economics, and we are known to solve problems by making convenient assumptions. In one of my former jobs I even had people with high school degrees as colleagues on policy committees. One potentate was a Junior High (Middle School) graduate, and they are probably less qualified than MBAs to advise on economic policy- but perhaps not on security matters.
Blackwater symbolizes to Arabs the helplessnes and impotence of Iraq's elected government (both legislative and excutive) vis-a-vis the United States. It also symbolizes the failure of all Iraqis to provide and respect law and order.
Blackwater is basically, at least in the eyes of most Iraqis and other Arabs, another extra-legal militia, although, unlike the others, its armed men are professional and are not cutthroats. And they only kill in self defense, or try to.
Iraqi officials declared Blackwater persona non grata in the aftermath of 11 civilian deaths in Baghdad, and I noted that this may not stand. Today its spokesman backtracked, saying the company will stay but must respect Iraqi laws, whatever that means nowadays.
Homework Time: Wikipedia calls Blackwater a "private military company and security firm". It is a group of nine specialized companies with speciallties ranging from security aviation to training canines (as in dawgs). Like most of us, it has been called many names by different people- it has been called the largest private army in the world, and a major war profiteer. Earlier this year, a book about the company made the NYT Besr Sellers list, whatever that signifies besides a lot of money for the author. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (2005), when the government failed to provide security in New Orleans, Blackwater soldiers were reported patroling some of the streets. It has also been reported to operate in other places such as Afghanistan and Central Asia.
So, Blackwater succinctly summarizes the four-year mission in Iraq. The mission started with high hopes and some misgivings, on both the Amrican and Iraqi sides, and it ended up thus: hired armed men to provide security where 150,000 American troops and double that number in Iraqis cannot. That tells me it is time to start getting out.
In Lebanon, another legislator, again a member of the pro-government March 14 Movement, was killed. He was blown up along with nine others by means of a favorite Lebanese invention of the 1980s: the car bomb. It looks suspicious, but then most car bombings tend to look suspicious to most of us, no?
Cheers
Mohammed
Blackwater symbolizes the failure of both the US and the Iraqi government to secure the center of the country- effectively the only region in Iraq that is still contested by various ethnic and sectarian groups. The center is the only contested region in what is effectively a confederacy of regions and provinces.
In this, Blackwater's case resembles something out of a dark futuristic film, where private companies oversee security, law and order and the central authority is a vague concept. It is what might happen to security and law enforcement if they are handed over to private profit-making companies run by MBAs (not necessarily out of Harvard). Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against MBAs, I may be worse in running law and order: I have a PhD in Monetary Economics, and we are known to solve problems by making convenient assumptions. In one of my former jobs I even had people with high school degrees as colleagues on policy committees. One potentate was a Junior High (Middle School) graduate, and they are probably less qualified than MBAs to advise on economic policy- but perhaps not on security matters.
Blackwater symbolizes to Arabs the helplessnes and impotence of Iraq's elected government (both legislative and excutive) vis-a-vis the United States. It also symbolizes the failure of all Iraqis to provide and respect law and order.
Blackwater is basically, at least in the eyes of most Iraqis and other Arabs, another extra-legal militia, although, unlike the others, its armed men are professional and are not cutthroats. And they only kill in self defense, or try to.
Iraqi officials declared Blackwater persona non grata in the aftermath of 11 civilian deaths in Baghdad, and I noted that this may not stand. Today its spokesman backtracked, saying the company will stay but must respect Iraqi laws, whatever that means nowadays.
Homework Time: Wikipedia calls Blackwater a "private military company and security firm". It is a group of nine specialized companies with speciallties ranging from security aviation to training canines (as in dawgs). Like most of us, it has been called many names by different people- it has been called the largest private army in the world, and a major war profiteer. Earlier this year, a book about the company made the NYT Besr Sellers list, whatever that signifies besides a lot of money for the author. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (2005), when the government failed to provide security in New Orleans, Blackwater soldiers were reported patroling some of the streets. It has also been reported to operate in other places such as Afghanistan and Central Asia.
So, Blackwater succinctly summarizes the four-year mission in Iraq. The mission started with high hopes and some misgivings, on both the Amrican and Iraqi sides, and it ended up thus: hired armed men to provide security where 150,000 American troops and double that number in Iraqis cannot. That tells me it is time to start getting out.
In Lebanon, another legislator, again a member of the pro-government March 14 Movement, was killed. He was blown up along with nine others by means of a favorite Lebanese invention of the 1980s: the car bomb. It looks suspicious, but then most car bombings tend to look suspicious to most of us, no?
Cheers
Mohammed
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
It looks like the current French government is departing from the trend of the past years. It is abandoning Old Europe, and returning to the future of an even older Europe- in terms of relations with America. No longer will French paratroopers be used solely to land in African capitals and shore up friendly dictators or keep order, nor will they watch mass genocide from across the border a la Rwanda. The French aspire to replace Les Anglais as America’s staunchest allies, in the Middle East anyway, at least for now. That should last until the fall/Christmas season flood of popular American films are unleashed in Europe….then it’ll be Sacrebleue! le nouveau defi Americain, l’invasion culturelle!
The Iran-West rift has shifted toward France now. France’s new Foreign Minister Bernie Kushner is almost as tactful as Iran’s Ahmadinejd. He went to Baghdad, predicted the fall of the Iraqi cabinet, and hinted at the desirability of that outcome. A week later he hinted at a war against Iran that may be inevitable, and all but claimed that France, at least he and Sarko, was getting ready for that war. So far it looks like he was wrong about Iraq. The jury is still out about the Iran war.
Meanwhile, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has criticized all the talk about an Iran war. Elbradei stated that all the noise about Iran reminds him of the noise before the invasion of Iraq. It is possible that El Bradei wants to succeed where Hans Blix failed in 2003 to stop the Bush administration from invading Iraq. Blix was demonized by conservatives and by others in the United States because he publicly doubted claims of Iraqi WMD. I was one of those who suspected Blix at the time- but it is not always true what the old song says, that ‘a fool never learns’. Fools outside Washington anyway.
Perhaps the next war will come in the Fall of 2008, either before of just after the elections, although Fox News has not hinted at a date. It may come just in time to saddle the next administration with three wars in the periphery of the Persian Gulf, some messy unfinished business in Lebanon and Palestine, besides the wider and now largly defensive war on terror.
Speaking of Iran, it is almost UN General Assembly time, and it looks like the Hugo & Mahmoud show will be on again- notwithstanding the bombastic and self-serving demands of Mitt Romney to deny the Iranian president access to NYC. It would be interesting if Libya's Qadhafi (Gaddafi) also shows up; then the meetings will be much more entertaining. Maybe all three will show up on Jay Leno or Letterman, although the staid Jon Stewart is a more likely venue.
The Iraqi government may have put itself in a corner by publicly announcing that it “will revoke the license of” Blackwater Corporation to operate in Iraq. That was after a battle in which the company’s agents killed some 11 Iraqis and wounded many more. US organizations, including the Embassy, have depended on the firm for security and protection in the wild streets of Baghdad.
By mutual agreement, Blackwater staff are not subject to Iraqi laws: this was fine as long as there were no large-scale fights and large numbers of publicized killings. Over time, with more news like this, the special position of Blackwater will be exploited in Iraq and around the Middle East to fan the flames of anti-Americanism. There was a similar legal-status agreement in Iran under the Shah which was publicly derided by Ayatollah Khomeini and others.
Cheers
Mohammed
The Iran-West rift has shifted toward France now. France’s new Foreign Minister Bernie Kushner is almost as tactful as Iran’s Ahmadinejd. He went to Baghdad, predicted the fall of the Iraqi cabinet, and hinted at the desirability of that outcome. A week later he hinted at a war against Iran that may be inevitable, and all but claimed that France, at least he and Sarko, was getting ready for that war. So far it looks like he was wrong about Iraq. The jury is still out about the Iran war.
Meanwhile, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has criticized all the talk about an Iran war. Elbradei stated that all the noise about Iran reminds him of the noise before the invasion of Iraq. It is possible that El Bradei wants to succeed where Hans Blix failed in 2003 to stop the Bush administration from invading Iraq. Blix was demonized by conservatives and by others in the United States because he publicly doubted claims of Iraqi WMD. I was one of those who suspected Blix at the time- but it is not always true what the old song says, that ‘a fool never learns’. Fools outside Washington anyway.
Perhaps the next war will come in the Fall of 2008, either before of just after the elections, although Fox News has not hinted at a date. It may come just in time to saddle the next administration with three wars in the periphery of the Persian Gulf, some messy unfinished business in Lebanon and Palestine, besides the wider and now largly defensive war on terror.
Speaking of Iran, it is almost UN General Assembly time, and it looks like the Hugo & Mahmoud show will be on again- notwithstanding the bombastic and self-serving demands of Mitt Romney to deny the Iranian president access to NYC. It would be interesting if Libya's Qadhafi (Gaddafi) also shows up; then the meetings will be much more entertaining. Maybe all three will show up on Jay Leno or Letterman, although the staid Jon Stewart is a more likely venue.
The Iraqi government may have put itself in a corner by publicly announcing that it “will revoke the license of” Blackwater Corporation to operate in Iraq. That was after a battle in which the company’s agents killed some 11 Iraqis and wounded many more. US organizations, including the Embassy, have depended on the firm for security and protection in the wild streets of Baghdad.
By mutual agreement, Blackwater staff are not subject to Iraqi laws: this was fine as long as there were no large-scale fights and large numbers of publicized killings. Over time, with more news like this, the special position of Blackwater will be exploited in Iraq and around the Middle East to fan the flames of anti-Americanism. There was a similar legal-status agreement in Iran under the Shah which was publicly derided by Ayatollah Khomeini and others.
Cheers
Mohammed
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Are we misunderestimating Baghdad?
Saudi media is already exploiting the assassination of Iraqi tribal Shaikh Abu Reesha in al-Anbar for its own political ends. Asharq Alawsat, owned by a Saudi prince, contains two editorials by its top editors, no less, hinting that perhaps the govenment in Baghdad, or the Shi'a militias, or some 'foreign' party was responsible. They do not absolve al Qaeda outright, after all it did announce responsibility- but they do try to muddy things up. (Isn't al Qaeda a 'foreign' party as well, since most its terrorists are from other Arab states?) Now, if the hapless Baghdad government can get inside and strike this deep inside a Sunni bastion like al-Anbar, then it is being grossly 'misunderestimated', even by the man who coined this term.
A column in the same newspaper takes an interesting position on the jailing of four Egyptian journalists for not being nice enough to President Mubarak and his Dauphin. S. Attallah suggests that jailing them is harsh and perhaps they should get lesser sentences, perhaps fined, even prevented from practicing their profession. Now that is being for free speech in the New New Middle East.
A US State Dept report today notes the decline of religious freedom in the Middle East: it especially notes Iraq, Iran, and Egypt. In Iran the Baha'is are still persecuted, although Christain and Jewish faiths are recognized, probably barely tolerated by the mullahs. (Still, this is not a legit casus belli).The report does not record any decline in religious freedom in Saudi Arabia, since there is none to start with.
In fact the report notes 'some' improvement in Saudi Arabia and Sudan: these relate to promises of improvement and revising some educational texts. The odd thing is that Sudan has citizens of various religions, like Christians and animists and has had a Christian vice president, while Saudi Arabia has only Moslem citizens and does not allow other houses of worship (like churches) or celebration of other religious ceremonies; nor does it allow other religious books like the Bible, the Torah, The Teachings of Don Juan, Journey To Ixtlan or the Road Books of Jack Kerouac (in fairness the last three items are almost certainly not allowed in most other Muslim countries, especially in theocratic Iran).
The report notes that Saudi sanctions were waived due to reforms "to ensure that the rights of Muslims and non-Muslims are protected"- this last one must be news to everyone except the people at State; does that mean they are about to allow churches, temples and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in Riyadh?
Yet Cuba is castigated in the report about not easily allowing new churches. Hypocricy is not a four-letter word.
Congressman James Moron (D-Va) opined the other day on MSNBC that we should have learned from history and did as the British did in the 1920's-i.e. appointed a 'moderate' Sunni regime. What the Brits did was bomb Shi'a and Kurdish villages into submission and chose a minority regime (Sunni) to rule Iraq. The minority elite tried to join Nazi Germany as allies in 1941. After a series of bloody coups they dragged the country into three major wars. Is that what Congressman Moron has learned from history?
Cheers
Mohammed
Saudi media is already exploiting the assassination of Iraqi tribal Shaikh Abu Reesha in al-Anbar for its own political ends. Asharq Alawsat, owned by a Saudi prince, contains two editorials by its top editors, no less, hinting that perhaps the govenment in Baghdad, or the Shi'a militias, or some 'foreign' party was responsible. They do not absolve al Qaeda outright, after all it did announce responsibility- but they do try to muddy things up. (Isn't al Qaeda a 'foreign' party as well, since most its terrorists are from other Arab states?) Now, if the hapless Baghdad government can get inside and strike this deep inside a Sunni bastion like al-Anbar, then it is being grossly 'misunderestimated', even by the man who coined this term.
A column in the same newspaper takes an interesting position on the jailing of four Egyptian journalists for not being nice enough to President Mubarak and his Dauphin. S. Attallah suggests that jailing them is harsh and perhaps they should get lesser sentences, perhaps fined, even prevented from practicing their profession. Now that is being for free speech in the New New Middle East.
A US State Dept report today notes the decline of religious freedom in the Middle East: it especially notes Iraq, Iran, and Egypt. In Iran the Baha'is are still persecuted, although Christain and Jewish faiths are recognized, probably barely tolerated by the mullahs. (Still, this is not a legit casus belli).The report does not record any decline in religious freedom in Saudi Arabia, since there is none to start with.
In fact the report notes 'some' improvement in Saudi Arabia and Sudan: these relate to promises of improvement and revising some educational texts. The odd thing is that Sudan has citizens of various religions, like Christians and animists and has had a Christian vice president, while Saudi Arabia has only Moslem citizens and does not allow other houses of worship (like churches) or celebration of other religious ceremonies; nor does it allow other religious books like the Bible, the Torah, The Teachings of Don Juan, Journey To Ixtlan or the Road Books of Jack Kerouac (in fairness the last three items are almost certainly not allowed in most other Muslim countries, especially in theocratic Iran).
The report notes that Saudi sanctions were waived due to reforms "to ensure that the rights of Muslims and non-Muslims are protected"- this last one must be news to everyone except the people at State; does that mean they are about to allow churches, temples and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in Riyadh?
Yet Cuba is castigated in the report about not easily allowing new churches. Hypocricy is not a four-letter word.
Congressman James Moron (D-Va) opined the other day on MSNBC that we should have learned from history and did as the British did in the 1920's-i.e. appointed a 'moderate' Sunni regime. What the Brits did was bomb Shi'a and Kurdish villages into submission and chose a minority regime (Sunni) to rule Iraq. The minority elite tried to join Nazi Germany as allies in 1941. After a series of bloody coups they dragged the country into three major wars. Is that what Congressman Moron has learned from history?
Cheers
Mohammed
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Foreplay in Cairo: an Egyptian state court has sentenced the sditors of four (4) independent newspapers to one year in jail for 'insulting' President Mubarak and 'his son'. I did not realize it was possible to insult an Arab leader, let alone his son. The editors were also accused of spreading rumors and lies about leaders and 'symbols' of the ruling party ( i.e Mubarak et fils). Reports claim there is now some anger in the Egyptian Journalists Union: but don't hold your breath, it was never known for its defense of the freedom of speech- they just want to show that they can think independently of the ruler.
Sheikh Abdul-Sattar Abu Reesha (a.k.a al-Reeshawi) was shown recently on TV basking in the presence of President Bush, eating qoozi (roast stuffed lamb to you infidels), and doing a good PR spin for a desert tribal thane. Today the young leader of the ad hoc Anbar Revival Counci was blown up along with some bodyguards at the entrance to his home. Clearly al Qaeda is not completely finished in al-Anbar, unless it was an inter-tribal rivalry.
In the meantime, a slow case for a nasty war with the ruling mullahs of Iran is being prepared through almost daily media leaks that Iranian-made weapons were found in Iraq. It is almost certain that British, American, German, Russian, and Chinese weapons are also found on a daily basis in Iraq (and Afghanistan). Many countries are the sources of 'normal' weapons that are to be found in Iraq, except Arab countries: Arabs haven't yet learned how to make weapons. However, the IED's and cutom-designed weapons like armor piercing missiles are another thing: no other country is known to make them.
A Sheik Khalil, member of the royal-appointed Council in Saudi Arabia was pissed yesterday while talking on CNN. He was foaming at the mouth that "Iran must get out, be forced out of Iraq, completely out". Fine and dandy, many people inside and outside Iraq agree with the noble sentiment. But the worthy thane did not offer his country's blood and treasure to that end: he was implicitly demanding that American boys AND GIRLS do his bidding, do the fighting for him. But let's not lose faith, his country is 'considering' opening an embassy in Baghdad: now all they need is to find someone who is brave enough to reside in the Iraqi capital. That is what influential countries, like the USA and Iran, have done for the past four years.
Cheers
Mohammed
Sheikh Abdul-Sattar Abu Reesha (a.k.a al-Reeshawi) was shown recently on TV basking in the presence of President Bush, eating qoozi (roast stuffed lamb to you infidels), and doing a good PR spin for a desert tribal thane. Today the young leader of the ad hoc Anbar Revival Counci was blown up along with some bodyguards at the entrance to his home. Clearly al Qaeda is not completely finished in al-Anbar, unless it was an inter-tribal rivalry.
In the meantime, a slow case for a nasty war with the ruling mullahs of Iran is being prepared through almost daily media leaks that Iranian-made weapons were found in Iraq. It is almost certain that British, American, German, Russian, and Chinese weapons are also found on a daily basis in Iraq (and Afghanistan). Many countries are the sources of 'normal' weapons that are to be found in Iraq, except Arab countries: Arabs haven't yet learned how to make weapons. However, the IED's and cutom-designed weapons like armor piercing missiles are another thing: no other country is known to make them.
A Sheik Khalil, member of the royal-appointed Council in Saudi Arabia was pissed yesterday while talking on CNN. He was foaming at the mouth that "Iran must get out, be forced out of Iraq, completely out". Fine and dandy, many people inside and outside Iraq agree with the noble sentiment. But the worthy thane did not offer his country's blood and treasure to that end: he was implicitly demanding that American boys AND GIRLS do his bidding, do the fighting for him. But let's not lose faith, his country is 'considering' opening an embassy in Baghdad: now all they need is to find someone who is brave enough to reside in the Iraqi capital. That is what influential countries, like the USA and Iran, have done for the past four years.
Cheers
Mohammed
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
In Egypt: Ayman Rifa'i, the man who was a witness in the 'trial' of jailed opposition leader Ayman Nour, was found hanged last week in his jail cell. Authorities attributed his death to suicide. Originally he was called as witness against Mr. Nour, but later he recanted, saying that he was 'pressured'. Suicide is rare in the Middle East, unless you are a Salafi with a truckload of explosives among unwary civilians. It is especially rare in Egypt.
Mr. Nour is the only man ever to run against Mr. Mubarak, or against any other Egyptian leader, in a rigged election and live to tell about it- so far, knock on wood. PS: Mr. Nour is still in jail, pending accession of Gamal (Jamal) Mubarak to the throne of Egypt whenever his father realizes that he is in fact brain dead and needs to move on.
Note to the State Department Spokesmen/women: Aymn Nour is definitely not suicidal- not yet.
Meanwhile, speculation has intensified about the health of Mr. Mubarak pere, who already looks quite mummified, thank you. His Prime Minister stated that Mr. Mubarak will be re-elected as leader of the ruling party in November, which was a surprise in this day and age of the New New Middle East. He also said that Mubarak's health is good, but that there is an 'organized'scenario' for accession in Egypt- WTF that means, perhaps that the security services will insure that the Dauphin will sit on the throne.
Syria: last week an Israeli warplane flew over Syria and dropped 'something'. Some claim that it was bombs and Syria crypticallt talked of reserving the right to retaliate. The latest speculation is that Israeli planes have bombed a Hezbollah supply convoy along the Ho Chi Assad Trail. The oddest claim: a Kuwaiti tabloid, Alseyassah, claimed that it was an American warplane that did the bombing and cheered the impending moment of 'Operation Syrian Freedom'. Typically, the newspaper attributed its information to 'reliable sources', almost certainly meaning its own editor's imagination.
In Saudi Arabia many thousands of camels have died over the past few weeks of a mysterious ailment. Some have attributed the cause to food poisoning and blame the substitute feed used recently to nourish the numerous dromedaries that are deeply intertwined with the history and culture of Arabia. Many attribute the cause to a switch in the animal feed, away from barley whose price has been rising. Yet the phenomenon is widespread around the country and has been called in the media a 'national tragedy', and many fortunes have been lost. If it continues, and pending discovering the real cause, this could expand into a regional tragedy beyond the borders of Saudi Arabia. It is not clear yet if international specialists and organizations have been approached for help.
The authorities, in typical fashion, claim to have opened an investigation-which is what authorities are good at doing.
Cheers
Mohammed
Mr. Nour is the only man ever to run against Mr. Mubarak, or against any other Egyptian leader, in a rigged election and live to tell about it- so far, knock on wood. PS: Mr. Nour is still in jail, pending accession of Gamal (Jamal) Mubarak to the throne of Egypt whenever his father realizes that he is in fact brain dead and needs to move on.
Note to the State Department Spokesmen/women: Aymn Nour is definitely not suicidal- not yet.
Meanwhile, speculation has intensified about the health of Mr. Mubarak pere, who already looks quite mummified, thank you. His Prime Minister stated that Mr. Mubarak will be re-elected as leader of the ruling party in November, which was a surprise in this day and age of the New New Middle East. He also said that Mubarak's health is good, but that there is an 'organized'scenario' for accession in Egypt- WTF that means, perhaps that the security services will insure that the Dauphin will sit on the throne.
Syria: last week an Israeli warplane flew over Syria and dropped 'something'. Some claim that it was bombs and Syria crypticallt talked of reserving the right to retaliate. The latest speculation is that Israeli planes have bombed a Hezbollah supply convoy along the Ho Chi Assad Trail. The oddest claim: a Kuwaiti tabloid, Alseyassah, claimed that it was an American warplane that did the bombing and cheered the impending moment of 'Operation Syrian Freedom'. Typically, the newspaper attributed its information to 'reliable sources', almost certainly meaning its own editor's imagination.
In Saudi Arabia many thousands of camels have died over the past few weeks of a mysterious ailment. Some have attributed the cause to food poisoning and blame the substitute feed used recently to nourish the numerous dromedaries that are deeply intertwined with the history and culture of Arabia. Many attribute the cause to a switch in the animal feed, away from barley whose price has been rising. Yet the phenomenon is widespread around the country and has been called in the media a 'national tragedy', and many fortunes have been lost. If it continues, and pending discovering the real cause, this could expand into a regional tragedy beyond the borders of Saudi Arabia. It is not clear yet if international specialists and organizations have been approached for help.
The authorities, in typical fashion, claim to have opened an investigation-which is what authorities are good at doing.
Cheers
Mohammed
Saturday, September 08, 2007
(Mis)Quote of the Day: UBL to Bush (whipping out his tax proposal): My Tax Cut Is Bigger Than Yours.
Osama Bin Laden's latest tape today should infuriate Mr. Bush for more than one reason. Not only does it remind the American public, next year's electorate, that OBL (UBL if you will) is alive and well- the wayward Saudi also outdoes W in a couple of points that he thought were his own points of strength.
Take taxes: OBL offers the American taxpayer conversion to Islam and the automatic kind of cuts that not even Bush, Limbough, and Bob Nardelli, combined, dare advocate. Imagine the flatest of the flat taxes: the Moslem 2.5% Zakat tithe will be all you're required to pay- no progressive rates, no worries about taxes on dividends and capital gains, and no estate taxes. And no need for expensive shelters and attorneys. And to think that Osama never went near the University of Chicago nor studied under Milton Friedman- probably never even heard of him, let alone understood the difference between positive and normative economics. Besides, Friedman was Jewish and definitely a no no for any publicly self-denying shaggy Salafi- besides he was not even an orthodox Jew, a la Wahhabis. He did, however, surprise me by mentioning Noam Chomsky- but Arabs of all political. ethnic, and sectarian stripes seem to love to refer to Chomsky these days.
(Disclaimer: Moslem taxes are a little more complex than that, and there is the alms, Sadaqa, which is more voluntary. Nevertheless, they are much much much simpler and cheaper than the IRS Code- that is why H&R Block will never thrive in the Middle East. Besides, most Arab countries do not really need income taxes: extensive public expenditures are financed directly by state oil revenues in the oil states and by foreign aid in the non-oil states. Voila! Simple, n'est-ce pas?).
Osama also tried , unsuccessfully I think, to wrest the mantle of "Uniter Not Divider" away from Bush. He rambled on about Democrats and others and did not do a good job. It is not likely that his appeal to the American people will resonate anywhere- not even on a post-post-housing debacle-Labor-Day Friday, likely the bluest of blue Fridays this year. Not with the NFL season just starting and the Colts convincingly beating the Saints, and the MLB World Series on the line.
Still, the telling blow, the one that I think drew blood, was the taunt of "my tax cuts are bigger than yours". And it was all in Arabic!
The leader of the terrorist al Qaeda also managed to get one below the belt at Arab dictators, kings, and princes. He did that a la Clinton. Remember how Clinton was rumored to steal Republican ideas as his own? Well, Osama stole the regulation jet-black hair-dye from ruling Arab potentates. As they all do, so did he, for the first time, dye his beard jet black. By imitating the potentates, is he having pretensions at "potency"? Perhaps not, it is most likely that he has only dyed his beard. The others, the rulers, are more consistent: they dye everything.....all over. Or so their peoples say- in private gatherings, of course.
Cheers
Mohammed
Osama Bin Laden's latest tape today should infuriate Mr. Bush for more than one reason. Not only does it remind the American public, next year's electorate, that OBL (UBL if you will) is alive and well- the wayward Saudi also outdoes W in a couple of points that he thought were his own points of strength.
Take taxes: OBL offers the American taxpayer conversion to Islam and the automatic kind of cuts that not even Bush, Limbough, and Bob Nardelli, combined, dare advocate. Imagine the flatest of the flat taxes: the Moslem 2.5% Zakat tithe will be all you're required to pay- no progressive rates, no worries about taxes on dividends and capital gains, and no estate taxes. And no need for expensive shelters and attorneys. And to think that Osama never went near the University of Chicago nor studied under Milton Friedman- probably never even heard of him, let alone understood the difference between positive and normative economics. Besides, Friedman was Jewish and definitely a no no for any publicly self-denying shaggy Salafi- besides he was not even an orthodox Jew, a la Wahhabis. He did, however, surprise me by mentioning Noam Chomsky- but Arabs of all political. ethnic, and sectarian stripes seem to love to refer to Chomsky these days.
(Disclaimer: Moslem taxes are a little more complex than that, and there is the alms, Sadaqa, which is more voluntary. Nevertheless, they are much much much simpler and cheaper than the IRS Code- that is why H&R Block will never thrive in the Middle East. Besides, most Arab countries do not really need income taxes: extensive public expenditures are financed directly by state oil revenues in the oil states and by foreign aid in the non-oil states. Voila! Simple, n'est-ce pas?).
Osama also tried , unsuccessfully I think, to wrest the mantle of "Uniter Not Divider" away from Bush. He rambled on about Democrats and others and did not do a good job. It is not likely that his appeal to the American people will resonate anywhere- not even on a post-post-housing debacle-Labor-Day Friday, likely the bluest of blue Fridays this year. Not with the NFL season just starting and the Colts convincingly beating the Saints, and the MLB World Series on the line.
Still, the telling blow, the one that I think drew blood, was the taunt of "my tax cuts are bigger than yours". And it was all in Arabic!
The leader of the terrorist al Qaeda also managed to get one below the belt at Arab dictators, kings, and princes. He did that a la Clinton. Remember how Clinton was rumored to steal Republican ideas as his own? Well, Osama stole the regulation jet-black hair-dye from ruling Arab potentates. As they all do, so did he, for the first time, dye his beard jet black. By imitating the potentates, is he having pretensions at "potency"? Perhaps not, it is most likely that he has only dyed his beard. The others, the rulers, are more consistent: they dye everything.....all over. Or so their peoples say- in private gatherings, of course.
Cheers
Mohammed
Friday, September 07, 2007
Terrorism and Kicking AssA Sydney newspaper quotes President Bush telling Australian VP "we're kicking ass". It is also likely right now that, in some cave or lair in the Pashtun areas of Northwest Pakistan, a tall bearded Saudi and his Egyptian sidekick (he jokingly calls him abu arb'a 'ayoon, four-eyes), are saying very much the same thing, but in Arabic. Of course the one who kicks ass last is usually considered the eventual winner, but the situation is complex, with many players. In the short and medium term anyone can claim that they are kicking ass. At the moment al Qaeda in Mesopotamia seems to be at the receiving end (not necessarily a pun here) of the boot. But then again, it looks like the Coalition is firmly at the receiving end in Afghanistan.
Mr. Bush, however, seems to be winning some friends and influencing people in the heart of 'old' Europe- right in that most American-sceptic place, the Elysee Palace. Not only did France's Sarkozy make the right noises about US policy, he also spent his vacation in Maine, not exactly a playground for French politicos. It was a fortuitous choice of destination, because he happened to run into W.
Sarko even seems to be picking up some of Bush'e vernacular- he came close to calling for 'kicking ass' somewhere in the Middle East, perhaps in Lebanon or Iran. Of course the French do not use that vulgar but succinct American term, especially in their own language. And their boots seem to be big enough only for unruly West African derrieres.
It would sound funny for Sarko to claim that he is doing 'ruer le posterieur', or to use a more extensive version, 'le fait de donner un coup de pied au cul'- I'm sure most of you got the very last word. Some may take his use of the term as another example of the famously suspected French prurience.
Arab Military Industry
When it rains it pours: Sudan's defense minister has claimed that his country is producing what he calls pilotless airplanes, i.e drones. Of course they could be just kites. He said that Sudan will become self-sufficient in weaponry and that it is the third African country in terms of military industries. He was too polite to claim that the country was also the top Arab producer of muzzle-loading carbines. Now the Arab world can rightly boast the greatest military-industrial complex south of Israel, west of Iran, and north of Zimbabwe. Of course the really smart Arab rulers, well the 'relatively' smart Arab rulers, have access to the best international weapons that money can buy. But then again, it has nothing to do with cerebral prowess, does it?
We were self sufficient in weapons once. Some years ago, when we were childern along the warm northwestern Arab shores of the Gulf (Persique, pas du Mexique), we used to be self-sufficient. We made our own slingshots, the weapon of choice which we called nabba'ta (plural: nababee't), for use against innocent birds and evil human foes. Nowadays, even the slingshots are foreign-made, mainly in East Asia- but they are still cheaper and, tellingly, they are used much more effectively than the high-tech weapons are used by our military. Besides, the prices of the slingshots do not include exorbitant commissions, kickbacks, or bribes to princes and potentates.
Cheers
Mohammed
Mr. Bush, however, seems to be winning some friends and influencing people in the heart of 'old' Europe- right in that most American-sceptic place, the Elysee Palace. Not only did France's Sarkozy make the right noises about US policy, he also spent his vacation in Maine, not exactly a playground for French politicos. It was a fortuitous choice of destination, because he happened to run into W.
Sarko even seems to be picking up some of Bush'e vernacular- he came close to calling for 'kicking ass' somewhere in the Middle East, perhaps in Lebanon or Iran. Of course the French do not use that vulgar but succinct American term, especially in their own language. And their boots seem to be big enough only for unruly West African derrieres.
It would sound funny for Sarko to claim that he is doing 'ruer le posterieur', or to use a more extensive version, 'le fait de donner un coup de pied au cul'- I'm sure most of you got the very last word. Some may take his use of the term as another example of the famously suspected French prurience.
Arab Military Industry
When it rains it pours: Sudan's defense minister has claimed that his country is producing what he calls pilotless airplanes, i.e drones. Of course they could be just kites. He said that Sudan will become self-sufficient in weaponry and that it is the third African country in terms of military industries. He was too polite to claim that the country was also the top Arab producer of muzzle-loading carbines. Now the Arab world can rightly boast the greatest military-industrial complex south of Israel, west of Iran, and north of Zimbabwe. Of course the really smart Arab rulers, well the 'relatively' smart Arab rulers, have access to the best international weapons that money can buy. But then again, it has nothing to do with cerebral prowess, does it?
We were self sufficient in weapons once. Some years ago, when we were childern along the warm northwestern Arab shores of the Gulf (Persique, pas du Mexique), we used to be self-sufficient. We made our own slingshots, the weapon of choice which we called nabba'ta (plural: nababee't), for use against innocent birds and evil human foes. Nowadays, even the slingshots are foreign-made, mainly in East Asia- but they are still cheaper and, tellingly, they are used much more effectively than the high-tech weapons are used by our military. Besides, the prices of the slingshots do not include exorbitant commissions, kickbacks, or bribes to princes and potentates.
Cheers
Mohammed
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
A New Turkey in Baghdad
Probably no embassy has been written and talked about for the past 27 years as much as the new American embassy in Baghdad. And for good reasons, that is, for all the wrong reasons. Media comments about it have ranged from "mysterious', "shrouded in mystery" (sort of like Bram Stoker's description of Dracula's castle), "monstrous", "fortress on a hill", to "as cloaked in mystery as a ministate in Rome" (a good one, with Ambassador Ryan Crocker as the Pontifex Maximus?). It has also been plagued by accusations of using slave labor or forced labor through a Kuwaiti sub-contractor: the contractor was accused in congressional hearings of having tricked Asian workers to fly to Baghdad on the pretext of flying them into Dubai and forcing them to disembark at gunpoint- and frankly that doesn't sound far-fetched. The sub-contracting was done through a subsidiary of Halliburton (HAL: the share price has been stuck in the low 30's).
One British newspaper even absurdly claimed that the location of the embassy was a secret, even with 21 buildings over 104 acres of land, and a budget that is estimated at over $ 1 billion (Congress has appropriated about $ 600 million so far).
John Brown, a former diplomate writing in CommonDreams.org, quotes a former US ambassador recalling a Cold War era joke: the Soviets were proud to have the biggest microchip in the world. He hopes the same will not be said about the new embassy- unflattering media descriptions make it sound quite Stalinesque but with an Arab twist: a lot of palm trees.
Ironically and sadly this new embassy will be known as the only major project in Iraq to be completed on time, with its own reliable power and water systems- but it was not built to benefit Iraqis. It may prove to be a public relations and media nightmare for U.S policy in Iraq, and perhaps in the Arab region as a whole. It stands out like the proverbial sore thumb, reminiscent of a Saddam palace only much bigger, telling Iraqis everyday, 24/7, where the real power lies in their country. From the point of view of many detractors of constitutional change in Iraq it makes a mockery of the idea of sovereignty and self-rule.
Who and where are the geniuses who think up such projects? How the hell do they come up with these turkeys?
Cheers
Mohammed
Probably no embassy has been written and talked about for the past 27 years as much as the new American embassy in Baghdad. And for good reasons, that is, for all the wrong reasons. Media comments about it have ranged from "mysterious', "shrouded in mystery" (sort of like Bram Stoker's description of Dracula's castle), "monstrous", "fortress on a hill", to "as cloaked in mystery as a ministate in Rome" (a good one, with Ambassador Ryan Crocker as the Pontifex Maximus?). It has also been plagued by accusations of using slave labor or forced labor through a Kuwaiti sub-contractor: the contractor was accused in congressional hearings of having tricked Asian workers to fly to Baghdad on the pretext of flying them into Dubai and forcing them to disembark at gunpoint- and frankly that doesn't sound far-fetched. The sub-contracting was done through a subsidiary of Halliburton (HAL: the share price has been stuck in the low 30's).
One British newspaper even absurdly claimed that the location of the embassy was a secret, even with 21 buildings over 104 acres of land, and a budget that is estimated at over $ 1 billion (Congress has appropriated about $ 600 million so far).
John Brown, a former diplomate writing in CommonDreams.org, quotes a former US ambassador recalling a Cold War era joke: the Soviets were proud to have the biggest microchip in the world. He hopes the same will not be said about the new embassy- unflattering media descriptions make it sound quite Stalinesque but with an Arab twist: a lot of palm trees.
Ironically and sadly this new embassy will be known as the only major project in Iraq to be completed on time, with its own reliable power and water systems- but it was not built to benefit Iraqis. It may prove to be a public relations and media nightmare for U.S policy in Iraq, and perhaps in the Arab region as a whole. It stands out like the proverbial sore thumb, reminiscent of a Saddam palace only much bigger, telling Iraqis everyday, 24/7, where the real power lies in their country. From the point of view of many detractors of constitutional change in Iraq it makes a mockery of the idea of sovereignty and self-rule.
Who and where are the geniuses who think up such projects? How the hell do they come up with these turkeys?
Cheers
Mohammed
Thursday, August 30, 2007
He is back! Iran’s Ahmadinejad apparently is feeling confident enough to opine publicly on regional politics. He has said publicly that there will be no war with the United States- at least not a hot war. This should disappoint some warmongering media in the Gulf monarchies- Uncle Sam is not going to do the little spoiled piggy’s bidding by beating on the big bad mullah wolf next door, not yet. Perhaps this will disappoint some extremists in Iran as well- they remember well how Saddam’s invasion in 1980 solidified the theocrats’ power quickly.
Yet yesterday both sides, Bush and Ahmadinejad, suddenly escalated the rhetoric again, with France's Nicolas Sarkozy putting in his two eurocents. Some in the Paris media have mentioned a new policy by Sarko of le carrot et le stick- but the French don't have much of un stick now in the Middle East.
The Iranian president took time out from cracking down on pretty ladies with too much hair showing in public, and young men flaunting the abs which he does not have, to opine on America in Iraq. He says that the US will leave a vacuum in Iraq and that Iran and her friends and neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, will fill. He is well aware that his term ends in 2009, just months after George Bush leaves office, and he is not guaranteed a second, and last, term with current economic conditions. It all depends on who is allowed to run against him.
Speaking of France, the foreign minister had apologized a day earlier for dissing the Iraqi government soon after leaving Baghdad. But being French and stubborn, M. Bernard Kushner reiterated today that "M. Maliki may leave us soon." I would find the statement ominous if I were in al-Maliki's sandals.
Alarbiya TV reports a new twist that on the face of it reopens the whole Lockerbie (Pan Am bombing) case of December 1988. It quotes an AFP and the Paris daily Le Figaro report that a vital witness in the case has said that he lied in his testimony that implicated Libyan agents. There are hints that the real culprits may be Syria, Iran, and the PFLP Palestinian group. The report hints that the Lockerbie bombing was a retaliation for the US Navy shooting down an Iranian airliner that killed over 120 people over the Persian Gulf in July 1988.
Sounds odd and very convenient though, given the regional poltical rivalries and tensions these days- but, then again, Le Figaro and AFP are not owned by Saudi Arabia. Are they???
The worst of it is that this assertion will wreak havoc, as the cliche says, on the emotions of the families of the victims.
Alzawraa, an Iraqi 'Sunni' site reports an odd but possibly telling development if it is true, quoting an 'unknown' Sadrist spokesman as accusing the government of helplessness in the face of Iranian encroachmnt in southern Iraq. But, the again, Alzawraa is not exactly a nuetral observer. Next day, al-Sadr tried to clarify matters by issuing a statement banning 'others' from speaking publicly on his behalf. He also froze all activities of al-Mahdi Army for six months., presumably to reduce intra-Shi'a tensions and clashes. His very own anti-surge.
Arab news websites today covered extensively the travails, and travels, of GOP Senator Larry Craig, with mucho comments.
Cheers
Mohammed
Yet yesterday both sides, Bush and Ahmadinejad, suddenly escalated the rhetoric again, with France's Nicolas Sarkozy putting in his two eurocents. Some in the Paris media have mentioned a new policy by Sarko of le carrot et le stick- but the French don't have much of un stick now in the Middle East.
The Iranian president took time out from cracking down on pretty ladies with too much hair showing in public, and young men flaunting the abs which he does not have, to opine on America in Iraq. He says that the US will leave a vacuum in Iraq and that Iran and her friends and neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, will fill. He is well aware that his term ends in 2009, just months after George Bush leaves office, and he is not guaranteed a second, and last, term with current economic conditions. It all depends on who is allowed to run against him.
Speaking of France, the foreign minister had apologized a day earlier for dissing the Iraqi government soon after leaving Baghdad. But being French and stubborn, M. Bernard Kushner reiterated today that "M. Maliki may leave us soon." I would find the statement ominous if I were in al-Maliki's sandals.
Alarbiya TV reports a new twist that on the face of it reopens the whole Lockerbie (Pan Am bombing) case of December 1988. It quotes an AFP and the Paris daily Le Figaro report that a vital witness in the case has said that he lied in his testimony that implicated Libyan agents. There are hints that the real culprits may be Syria, Iran, and the PFLP Palestinian group. The report hints that the Lockerbie bombing was a retaliation for the US Navy shooting down an Iranian airliner that killed over 120 people over the Persian Gulf in July 1988.
Sounds odd and very convenient though, given the regional poltical rivalries and tensions these days- but, then again, Le Figaro and AFP are not owned by Saudi Arabia. Are they???
The worst of it is that this assertion will wreak havoc, as the cliche says, on the emotions of the families of the victims.
Alzawraa, an Iraqi 'Sunni' site reports an odd but possibly telling development if it is true, quoting an 'unknown' Sadrist spokesman as accusing the government of helplessness in the face of Iranian encroachmnt in southern Iraq. But, the again, Alzawraa is not exactly a nuetral observer. Next day, al-Sadr tried to clarify matters by issuing a statement banning 'others' from speaking publicly on his behalf. He also froze all activities of al-Mahdi Army for six months., presumably to reduce intra-Shi'a tensions and clashes. His very own anti-surge.
Arab news websites today covered extensively the travails, and travels, of GOP Senator Larry Craig, with mucho comments.
Cheers
Mohammed
Monday, August 27, 2007
Colonel David Sutherland in Iraq: "the insurgent group known as the Brigades of the Revolution of Twenty (as in 1920) has been helping the coalition forces in its campaign against al Qaeda in Dialy Province. Now we are calling this group the Baquba Guardians."
Aljazeera TV (August 25): "The Brigades of the Revolution of Twenty has denied their participation with the Americans in any operation against al Qaeda. They did speculate that some other breakaway group may be involved."
Sacrebleu, zee plot thickens, comme on dit en France! The Colonel can't be fibbing, so either Aljazeera is fibbing or there is a misunderstanding somewhere.
An ironic historical segue here: The original 1920 Revolution was led mainly by Shi'as against the British occupation.
Baghdad- J'accuse: A close political adviser to PM al-Maliki this week accused unnamed Gulf countries of fanning the flames of sectarian (inter-Shi'a) strife in southern Iraq. Sami al-Askari accused "Gulf' countries of sending millions of dollars across the border to buy and incite some tribal leaders and create instability in the heretofore stable south. This may explain a group of tribal leaders who declared to the media about a new'southern' alliance of tribes and shaikhs a few weeks ago. This also comes only a few weeks after senior U.S officials, including UN ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, expressed frustration with some of Iraq's neighbors who are considered US allies and their role in undermining Iraqi stability.
al-Askari cliams to the news site Elaph that the device that killed one governor in the south last week was made in a 'neighboring' country, and that there have been arrests and confessions (now, how did they get those?).
NIE Report: predicts that the Iraqi government will grow yet "more precarious"- someone mentioned yesterday on a news website, I forgot which one, that by stating it so publicly the NIE ensures that Iraq's government will become "more precarious". Aren't these guys so good at predicting and forecasting?
Ryan Crocker, ambassador to Baghdad: declares that Iraqi political progress has been "extremely disappointing. Progress on national level issues has been extremely (nice word, this 'extremely') disapppointing and frustrating to all concerned....to us, to Iraqis, and to the Iraqi leadership itself." August 21
Senator Carl Levin, Chair Armed Services: "Iraq's prime minister can't bring peace to his country (ummm, but we have proven over the past four years that we can, senor Carlito?), so the Iraqi parliament should declare a vote of no confidence and replace him." August 21
Sen. Hillary (me too) Clinton: "Iraqi leaders have not met their own political benchmarks to share power (and we have met our security and military goals, senora?), modify the Baathification (that must be de-Baa....) laws, pass an oil law (does she know what is in the oil law and why it is not eagerly accepted by Iraqis of all stripes?), schedule provincial elections, and amend their constitution (she knows how long it took to hammer out and ratify the US constitution). I share Senator Levin's hope that the Iraqi parliament will replace prime minister Maliki with a less divisive (cute) and more unifying figure (does she know that Saddam is dead?)..." August 21
The Daily Standard, Stephen Schwartz: "Almost six years after 9/11....the American media and government have begun to admit something every informed and honest muslim in the world has known all along. That is: the "Sunni insurgency" in Iraq, as well as 9/11 and certain acts of extremist violence...are consequences of the official status of the ultra-fundamentalist Wahhabi sect in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Wahhabi clerics have preached and recruited for terror in Iraq; Saudi money has sustained it; the largest number of those who have carried out suicide bombings north of the Saudi-Iraqi border hav been Saudi citizens. "Counterproductive" is a euphemism for Saudi state subsidies to wahhabi clerics who demand the genocide of Shi'a muslim, urg young men to go north to suicide... It is also a diplomatic way to describe the official policy of ignoring financial contributiuns by rich saudis to support wahhabi terror in Iraq..." July 30
Christian Science Monitor, Sam Dagher: "This years pilgrims to Karbala come amid an unprecedented wave of anger toward Saudi Arabia. Government and religious leaders here charge that the neighboring kingdom is doing little to stem the flow of its national to Iraq to wage 'holy war' om Shiites (Shi'as)" August
Memorabilia from Saudi and Gulf media:
"The historical role and rights (i.e. entitlement) of Iraq's Sunni Arabs must be taken into account in any power structure."
"Al-Maliki and his sectarian government are on the way out. The Americans have already decided."
"Iraq is facing a Safawi (Safavi) Persian invasion."
"No Arab country should allow foreign influences, forces and agents to run amok and alter its culture (not clear if they mean Iraq, all of it, Lebanon, the Persian Gulf states, or all of the above)."
"The Americans are dealing secretly, or soon will be dealing secretly (also the Israelis, depending on who writes where and when) to divide the Arab world into spheres of influence."
"The (American) invasion (of Iran) is imminent. The date has been set."
"The (Ameriacn) invasion (of Syria) is coming soon. The date has been set."
"The system in Iraq is not realy democratic (unlike the ones in other Arab states, for instance?). It is based on a flawed constitution (unlike our nonexistant constitution: ours does not exist, ergo it can't be flawed)."
"Iraq's parliament is divided and sectarian (unlike ours which does not exist, ergo it can't be divided and sectarian)." Imagine, a divided parliament. What will they think of next, a two-party system?
"Bashar Assad inherited power from his father (true, great insight there- and our potentates ar presumably elected?)"
"Hassan Nasrallah (leader of the radical Shi'a Hezbollah) should return Lebanon to its people, so that Lebanon can become a healthy territory breathing the free air of 'real democracy'." Editor of the Saudi daily Asharq Alawsat, August 26.
Angry Arab News: "People in Lebanon have been wondering why there i no monument erected at the tomb of slain former prime minister Rafiq Hariri (it is common among all Lebanese religions and sects to erect headstones on graves). I am told that the reason is due to the Hariri family's deference to Wahhabi doctrine which forbids such measures." August 24
Cultural Coup de grace: Riyadh was selected Arab Cultural capital for 2000 (I know, I know).
Cheers
Mohammed
Aljazeera TV (August 25): "The Brigades of the Revolution of Twenty has denied their participation with the Americans in any operation against al Qaeda. They did speculate that some other breakaway group may be involved."
Sacrebleu, zee plot thickens, comme on dit en France! The Colonel can't be fibbing, so either Aljazeera is fibbing or there is a misunderstanding somewhere.
An ironic historical segue here: The original 1920 Revolution was led mainly by Shi'as against the British occupation.
Baghdad- J'accuse: A close political adviser to PM al-Maliki this week accused unnamed Gulf countries of fanning the flames of sectarian (inter-Shi'a) strife in southern Iraq. Sami al-Askari accused "Gulf' countries of sending millions of dollars across the border to buy and incite some tribal leaders and create instability in the heretofore stable south. This may explain a group of tribal leaders who declared to the media about a new'southern' alliance of tribes and shaikhs a few weeks ago. This also comes only a few weeks after senior U.S officials, including UN ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, expressed frustration with some of Iraq's neighbors who are considered US allies and their role in undermining Iraqi stability.
al-Askari cliams to the news site Elaph that the device that killed one governor in the south last week was made in a 'neighboring' country, and that there have been arrests and confessions (now, how did they get those?).
NIE Report: predicts that the Iraqi government will grow yet "more precarious"- someone mentioned yesterday on a news website, I forgot which one, that by stating it so publicly the NIE ensures that Iraq's government will become "more precarious". Aren't these guys so good at predicting and forecasting?
Ryan Crocker, ambassador to Baghdad: declares that Iraqi political progress has been "extremely disappointing. Progress on national level issues has been extremely (nice word, this 'extremely') disapppointing and frustrating to all concerned....to us, to Iraqis, and to the Iraqi leadership itself." August 21
Senator Carl Levin, Chair Armed Services: "Iraq's prime minister can't bring peace to his country (ummm, but we have proven over the past four years that we can, senor Carlito?), so the Iraqi parliament should declare a vote of no confidence and replace him." August 21
Sen. Hillary (me too) Clinton: "Iraqi leaders have not met their own political benchmarks to share power (and we have met our security and military goals, senora?), modify the Baathification (that must be de-Baa....) laws, pass an oil law (does she know what is in the oil law and why it is not eagerly accepted by Iraqis of all stripes?), schedule provincial elections, and amend their constitution (she knows how long it took to hammer out and ratify the US constitution). I share Senator Levin's hope that the Iraqi parliament will replace prime minister Maliki with a less divisive (cute) and more unifying figure (does she know that Saddam is dead?)..." August 21
The Daily Standard, Stephen Schwartz: "Almost six years after 9/11....the American media and government have begun to admit something every informed and honest muslim in the world has known all along. That is: the "Sunni insurgency" in Iraq, as well as 9/11 and certain acts of extremist violence...are consequences of the official status of the ultra-fundamentalist Wahhabi sect in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Wahhabi clerics have preached and recruited for terror in Iraq; Saudi money has sustained it; the largest number of those who have carried out suicide bombings north of the Saudi-Iraqi border hav been Saudi citizens. "Counterproductive" is a euphemism for Saudi state subsidies to wahhabi clerics who demand the genocide of Shi'a muslim, urg young men to go north to suicide... It is also a diplomatic way to describe the official policy of ignoring financial contributiuns by rich saudis to support wahhabi terror in Iraq..." July 30
Christian Science Monitor, Sam Dagher: "This years pilgrims to Karbala come amid an unprecedented wave of anger toward Saudi Arabia. Government and religious leaders here charge that the neighboring kingdom is doing little to stem the flow of its national to Iraq to wage 'holy war' om Shiites (Shi'as)" August
Memorabilia from Saudi and Gulf media:
"The historical role and rights (i.e. entitlement) of Iraq's Sunni Arabs must be taken into account in any power structure."
"Al-Maliki and his sectarian government are on the way out. The Americans have already decided."
"Iraq is facing a Safawi (Safavi) Persian invasion."
"No Arab country should allow foreign influences, forces and agents to run amok and alter its culture (not clear if they mean Iraq, all of it, Lebanon, the Persian Gulf states, or all of the above)."
"The Americans are dealing secretly, or soon will be dealing secretly (also the Israelis, depending on who writes where and when) to divide the Arab world into spheres of influence."
"The (American) invasion (of Iran) is imminent. The date has been set."
"The (Ameriacn) invasion (of Syria) is coming soon. The date has been set."
"The system in Iraq is not realy democratic (unlike the ones in other Arab states, for instance?). It is based on a flawed constitution (unlike our nonexistant constitution: ours does not exist, ergo it can't be flawed)."
"Iraq's parliament is divided and sectarian (unlike ours which does not exist, ergo it can't be divided and sectarian)." Imagine, a divided parliament. What will they think of next, a two-party system?
"Bashar Assad inherited power from his father (true, great insight there- and our potentates ar presumably elected?)"
"Hassan Nasrallah (leader of the radical Shi'a Hezbollah) should return Lebanon to its people, so that Lebanon can become a healthy territory breathing the free air of 'real democracy'." Editor of the Saudi daily Asharq Alawsat, August 26.
Angry Arab News: "People in Lebanon have been wondering why there i no monument erected at the tomb of slain former prime minister Rafiq Hariri (it is common among all Lebanese religions and sects to erect headstones on graves). I am told that the reason is due to the Hariri family's deference to Wahhabi doctrine which forbids such measures." August 24
Cultural Coup de grace: Riyadh was selected Arab Cultural capital for 2000 (I know, I know).
Cheers
Mohammed
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Will Iraq's hapless prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki be scarificied by BOTH parties to gain some time for an extended surge?
The almost coordinated pressure on the PM from both Republicans and Dems seems to point that way. Nothing would give more time for the surge to continue than a new Iraqi government which would need more time, a courtesy 'grace period'. This would get the Republicans off the hook through 2008. It would also get the major Democrat presidential candidates off the hook through November 2008.
Add to that the suddenly renewed talk in some Arab media, especially the vast Saudi-controlled offfshore media, of an American shift toward the Sunnis in Iraq- and there may be a pattern. This shift seems to coincide with the arrival of Ryan Crocker as ambassador. Some Arab media claim that Crocker, who served in the region and is close to some Persian Gulf monarchies, believes that Iraq may need a Sunni ruling junta or clique to restore stability. There no doubt has been intense pressure on the Bush administration, as well as on receptive senators, to effect a shift in policy toward the Sunni minority. One clear result has been the decision to undermine one foundation of U.S policy in Iraq by arming and encouraging certain new militias who are hostile not only to the elected government but to the whole American enterprise.
All this is most likely wishful thinking, but then again it sounds eerily like the positions taken by Gertrude Lothian Bell when the Iraqi state was being patched together by the British Colonial Office over eighty years ago. Bell firmly believed that the 'moderate and pro-British' Sunnis should run the new Iraqi state. The Shi'a (Shi'ite) majority accommodated her bias by revolting against colonial rule and against a British mandate. They, and the Kurds, were 'severely reprimanded' by land and from the air and many thousands died. Those Sunnis who sided with the British, just as they had sided with the Ottoman Turkish occupiers earlier, were handed political power by the grateful Colonial Office. They lost no time revolting against the Brits and siding with the Nazis in the dark days of early 1941. Saddam Hussein and his Ba'ath henchmen were direct descendants of the political system installed at that time.
It is too late for direct foreign interference in Iraq's internal politics. This sounds odd nowadays, given the situation on the ground, but a foreign government, even the United States can't change the regime in Iraq, at least not to a regime that could survive. Besides, it is almost certain that any successor to Maliki will fail as well, and for the same reasons. The former ruling elites want power back, Iraq's neighboring absolute monarchies want a pliable Sunni elite reinstated (in case you did not know it: they are masochists besides having very short memories: why else would they want their former tormentors back in power?), and the Shi'as and Kurds are armed to the teeth.
Cheers
Mohammed
The almost coordinated pressure on the PM from both Republicans and Dems seems to point that way. Nothing would give more time for the surge to continue than a new Iraqi government which would need more time, a courtesy 'grace period'. This would get the Republicans off the hook through 2008. It would also get the major Democrat presidential candidates off the hook through November 2008.
Add to that the suddenly renewed talk in some Arab media, especially the vast Saudi-controlled offfshore media, of an American shift toward the Sunnis in Iraq- and there may be a pattern. This shift seems to coincide with the arrival of Ryan Crocker as ambassador. Some Arab media claim that Crocker, who served in the region and is close to some Persian Gulf monarchies, believes that Iraq may need a Sunni ruling junta or clique to restore stability. There no doubt has been intense pressure on the Bush administration, as well as on receptive senators, to effect a shift in policy toward the Sunni minority. One clear result has been the decision to undermine one foundation of U.S policy in Iraq by arming and encouraging certain new militias who are hostile not only to the elected government but to the whole American enterprise.
All this is most likely wishful thinking, but then again it sounds eerily like the positions taken by Gertrude Lothian Bell when the Iraqi state was being patched together by the British Colonial Office over eighty years ago. Bell firmly believed that the 'moderate and pro-British' Sunnis should run the new Iraqi state. The Shi'a (Shi'ite) majority accommodated her bias by revolting against colonial rule and against a British mandate. They, and the Kurds, were 'severely reprimanded' by land and from the air and many thousands died. Those Sunnis who sided with the British, just as they had sided with the Ottoman Turkish occupiers earlier, were handed political power by the grateful Colonial Office. They lost no time revolting against the Brits and siding with the Nazis in the dark days of early 1941. Saddam Hussein and his Ba'ath henchmen were direct descendants of the political system installed at that time.
It is too late for direct foreign interference in Iraq's internal politics. This sounds odd nowadays, given the situation on the ground, but a foreign government, even the United States can't change the regime in Iraq, at least not to a regime that could survive. Besides, it is almost certain that any successor to Maliki will fail as well, and for the same reasons. The former ruling elites want power back, Iraq's neighboring absolute monarchies want a pliable Sunni elite reinstated (in case you did not know it: they are masochists besides having very short memories: why else would they want their former tormentors back in power?), and the Shi'as and Kurds are armed to the teeth.
Cheers
Mohammed
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Levin the Decider
Senator Carl Levin (D), Chair of the Armed Services Comittee today ordered the elected Iraqi parliament to replace the country's prime minister and his cabinet. He claims that the government is not doing its job. Mr. Levin also believes that the current Republican U.S administration is not doing its job properly- does he support impeachment to replace it as well, and would he condone such a call from al-Maliki or Talibani?
Such a statement by a high ranking senator, a member of the wider US government, only helps undermine claims that Iraq is an independent sovereign nation. The senator should remember that it takes two to tango. Mr Levin should specify how the al-Maliki government can become less 'sectarian' as he demands. Would that entail offering the opposition sensitive cabinet posts such as Interior, Security and Defense, the traditional springboards for Iraqi coups d'etat in the past? Would it entail dividing the cabinet posts based on population? Enlighten us, senator.
At the same time, a Saudi newspaper, al-Riyadh has published an article reviving the quite dead idea of a military take-over in Iraq. The author hints that the right military strongman should come from the 'old' Iraqi army, the same one that threatened the Gulf and Saudi Arabia. Ah, but things have changed so much, the toothpaste has been squeezed out of the tube, the genie is out of the lamp, but then again de Nile is a river in the heart of the Arab world......is it not? The proposal is based on a study purportedly done at NYU. P.S: any study published by anyone in the U.S media or academia is accepted in the Arab world as solid evidence of a U.S government plan.
A fierce media war is being waged more openly now between Syria and Saudi Arabia. In the past, Syria refrained from naming Saudi Arabia directly, even as the Saudi press and media, owned mostly be royal princes, directly criticized the Syrian regime and its policies. Some Saudi-affiliated newpapers in the Gulf even gleefully expected a U.S invasion of Damascus. Now the Syrian have named names in a mild attack, so the Saudi press is intensifying its attack on Syria while pointing out that the Saudi government never ever directly criticizes an Arab government. Clever.
For a short time Arab media carried reports that six Iranian 'diplomats' held by US forces in Iraq have been released. That was earlier today, and by evening the news item was erased from all the websites. It was clear that the report was not true, since no American media carried it at the time.
In Kuwait, State Security agents have kidnapped two journalists from outside their offices and roughed them up. Apparently the kidnap/arrests were without warrants. One journalist was released some hours later but another remains in custody. The claim is that they published seditious ideas on their website. Independent media and Assembly members have warned the government not to engage in illegal acts of kidnapping and holding citizens without warrants.
Looks like Saif al-Islam, son of Libyan leader Qaddafi, is being prepared for the succession, just like the son of President Mubarak in Egypt, and like Bashar Assad before them. Both have assumed high visibility positions in government-controlled agencies. Qaddafi Fils is much more outspoken, though, of his criticism and his calls for 'reform' of the judiciary and the media. Chip of the old block? Still, does anybody believe that the Brother Colonel will pass away anytime soon? It is possible that President Saleh of Yemen is also preparing a son for the throne. Not exactly in the spirit of the res public that the early Romans had in mind when they overthrew their weird and 'obsolete' kings.
Soon the whole Arab world will revive its old bygone glory by becoming hereditary. An Arab citizen can take his pick: a hereditary police-state republic or a hereditary police-state absolute tribal monarchy, with the honorific kleptocracy thrown in the bargain.
Cheers
Mohammed
Senator Carl Levin (D), Chair of the Armed Services Comittee today ordered the elected Iraqi parliament to replace the country's prime minister and his cabinet. He claims that the government is not doing its job. Mr. Levin also believes that the current Republican U.S administration is not doing its job properly- does he support impeachment to replace it as well, and would he condone such a call from al-Maliki or Talibani?
Such a statement by a high ranking senator, a member of the wider US government, only helps undermine claims that Iraq is an independent sovereign nation. The senator should remember that it takes two to tango. Mr Levin should specify how the al-Maliki government can become less 'sectarian' as he demands. Would that entail offering the opposition sensitive cabinet posts such as Interior, Security and Defense, the traditional springboards for Iraqi coups d'etat in the past? Would it entail dividing the cabinet posts based on population? Enlighten us, senator.
At the same time, a Saudi newspaper, al-Riyadh has published an article reviving the quite dead idea of a military take-over in Iraq. The author hints that the right military strongman should come from the 'old' Iraqi army, the same one that threatened the Gulf and Saudi Arabia. Ah, but things have changed so much, the toothpaste has been squeezed out of the tube, the genie is out of the lamp, but then again de Nile is a river in the heart of the Arab world......is it not? The proposal is based on a study purportedly done at NYU. P.S: any study published by anyone in the U.S media or academia is accepted in the Arab world as solid evidence of a U.S government plan.
A fierce media war is being waged more openly now between Syria and Saudi Arabia. In the past, Syria refrained from naming Saudi Arabia directly, even as the Saudi press and media, owned mostly be royal princes, directly criticized the Syrian regime and its policies. Some Saudi-affiliated newpapers in the Gulf even gleefully expected a U.S invasion of Damascus. Now the Syrian have named names in a mild attack, so the Saudi press is intensifying its attack on Syria while pointing out that the Saudi government never ever directly criticizes an Arab government. Clever.
For a short time Arab media carried reports that six Iranian 'diplomats' held by US forces in Iraq have been released. That was earlier today, and by evening the news item was erased from all the websites. It was clear that the report was not true, since no American media carried it at the time.
In Kuwait, State Security agents have kidnapped two journalists from outside their offices and roughed them up. Apparently the kidnap/arrests were without warrants. One journalist was released some hours later but another remains in custody. The claim is that they published seditious ideas on their website. Independent media and Assembly members have warned the government not to engage in illegal acts of kidnapping and holding citizens without warrants.
Looks like Saif al-Islam, son of Libyan leader Qaddafi, is being prepared for the succession, just like the son of President Mubarak in Egypt, and like Bashar Assad before them. Both have assumed high visibility positions in government-controlled agencies. Qaddafi Fils is much more outspoken, though, of his criticism and his calls for 'reform' of the judiciary and the media. Chip of the old block? Still, does anybody believe that the Brother Colonel will pass away anytime soon? It is possible that President Saleh of Yemen is also preparing a son for the throne. Not exactly in the spirit of the res public that the early Romans had in mind when they overthrew their weird and 'obsolete' kings.
Soon the whole Arab world will revive its old bygone glory by becoming hereditary. An Arab citizen can take his pick: a hereditary police-state republic or a hereditary police-state absolute tribal monarchy, with the honorific kleptocracy thrown in the bargain.
Cheers
Mohammed
Sunday, August 19, 2007
A not so subtle campaign is being waged to align the various forms of demi-democracy and plutocracy in the Arab states. It is the sort of campaign that always finds advocates, and perhaps financers, in the Arab world. The long and hard campaign by Arab rulers, aided and abetted by the likes of Mr Dulaimi and Mr. Allawi, to push for a coup of strongmen in Iraq seems to have failed- so far, the Bush administration seems unwilling to bite, and this is one intelligent thing it is doing in Iraq.
Now the campaign has shifted south along the Persian Gulf region, with the goal of cleansing it of any vestiges of 'unstable' participatory democracy. A couple of months ago Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister Prince Nayef (in charge of police, security, etc) publicly expressed his worries about the 'fate of democracy' in Kuwait. The man really seemed worried about its fate, which is admirable! Some local newspapers with close Saudi links (Alseyassah, Alwatan) have been pushing for an unconstitutional dissolution of the Assembly and a crackdown on dissent. In this particular case 'unconstitutional' means that free elections will not be held within two months as required by the constitution- the preference seems to be for free elections never to be held. Now the royal-appointed speaker of Jordan's pushme pullyou, half-elected half-appointed parliament has joined the fray, publicly calling for Kuwait to switch to a bi-cameral legislature, with one half to be appointed by the Emir.
It is not clear yet who put the Jordanian potentate up to it. This would put the Gulf country in line with Jordan and Bahrain, where half the assemblies are appointed by the rulers and the other half are 'sort of' elected. In Kuwait, fifty members of the legislature are elected and the Emir appoints the cabinet ministers, about 14, who are also allowed the same exact voting powers as elected members. The current Speaker of the legislature, Mr. Kharafi, lost the majority of elected members but won his position anyway with support from unelected government ministers. Still, a 20% unelected legislature is more democratic than a 50% unelected one with the other 50% semi-elected.
Any change would still be way out of line with Saudi Arabia which does not have a unicameral, bicameral or any-cameral legislature for that matter.
Then, on the other shore of the Gulf looms Iran, where all members of parliament are elected freely- except that not everybody is free to run for elections. All candidates are vetted by some uber-body that determines their suitability.
No word yet from the other moderate paragons of democracy in the Nouveau Moyen Orient.
Cheers
Mohammed
Now the campaign has shifted south along the Persian Gulf region, with the goal of cleansing it of any vestiges of 'unstable' participatory democracy. A couple of months ago Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister Prince Nayef (in charge of police, security, etc) publicly expressed his worries about the 'fate of democracy' in Kuwait. The man really seemed worried about its fate, which is admirable! Some local newspapers with close Saudi links (Alseyassah, Alwatan) have been pushing for an unconstitutional dissolution of the Assembly and a crackdown on dissent. In this particular case 'unconstitutional' means that free elections will not be held within two months as required by the constitution- the preference seems to be for free elections never to be held. Now the royal-appointed speaker of Jordan's pushme pullyou, half-elected half-appointed parliament has joined the fray, publicly calling for Kuwait to switch to a bi-cameral legislature, with one half to be appointed by the Emir.
It is not clear yet who put the Jordanian potentate up to it. This would put the Gulf country in line with Jordan and Bahrain, where half the assemblies are appointed by the rulers and the other half are 'sort of' elected. In Kuwait, fifty members of the legislature are elected and the Emir appoints the cabinet ministers, about 14, who are also allowed the same exact voting powers as elected members. The current Speaker of the legislature, Mr. Kharafi, lost the majority of elected members but won his position anyway with support from unelected government ministers. Still, a 20% unelected legislature is more democratic than a 50% unelected one with the other 50% semi-elected.
Any change would still be way out of line with Saudi Arabia which does not have a unicameral, bicameral or any-cameral legislature for that matter.
Then, on the other shore of the Gulf looms Iran, where all members of parliament are elected freely- except that not everybody is free to run for elections. All candidates are vetted by some uber-body that determines their suitability.
No word yet from the other moderate paragons of democracy in the Nouveau Moyen Orient.
Cheers
Mohammed
Saturday, August 18, 2007
It looks like Iraq's Arab neighbors have largely given up the hope, and their tentative encouragement of regime change in Iraq. Saudi Arabia announced two weeks that it will send a delegation to 'look into' opening an embassy. It hasn't happened yet, and it may not. A couple of editorials in the Saudi offshore press critically analyze the Iraqi Sunni rejection of the political process. It is not clear if this is a price for the United States accepting and arming some Sunni militias in parts of Baghdad and western Iraq. Does this mean Mr. Iyad Allawi can stop spending a lot of his time traveling to Arab capitals seeking political support from those who can only give the 'kiss of political death' to an aspiring Iraqi leader?
This would be an unusually clever move by Iraq's neighbors, as it would fill a diplomatic void that mainly Iran has been filling for several years. Besides, Iraq's Sunnis do not necessarily consider many Arab regimes as their true friends. They know that they lost power not only because of American action- they know that American troops, tanks and airplanes entered Iraq across Arab borders, Arab waters and Arab airspaces. The logistics and communications for the invaion were also organized through various Sunni-ruled Arab states, including all the Gulf monarchies and Jordan.
This possible thawing with the Arab governments, which comes after visits to Arab capitals first by VP Cheney then by Secretaries Rice and Gates, also comes as the ruling Shi'a-Kurdish coalition forms a majority government excluding its unwilling former partners. The coalition is seeking independent Sunni politicians to join the cabinet. It looks like one more Shi'a party might join the coalition, and Vice President Tareq al-Hashimi, the leading Sunni politician, has hinted of supporting the new coalition.
It would also be helpful to the Iraqi people if two concrete financial measures are taken by the neighbors, especially the Gulf monarchies: reduction of Iraq's debt and cancelation of the exorbitant reparations that are paid to some neighbors as compensation for the first Persian Gulf War. Iraq's neighbors should remember the experience of Versailles and the German reparations after World War I.
President Bush appointed James Baker a few years ago to renegotiate Iraq's foreign debt, and he had some success with the country's non-Arab debtors. The Paris Club of official debtors did alter its standards three years ago to include Iraq as a target for debt relief. There was some talk of reducing Iraq's Arab debt, but it has not gone far- most Iraq's Arab neighbors seem to want to, foolishly, use the debt as a source of political leverage to influence internal Iraqi politics.
The country's debt exceeded $120 billion before the invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and almost certainly doubled by 2003.
After the al-Qaeda bombing that killed nearly 500 Iraqi Yazidis earlier this week, a group of prominent Moslem clerics from different sects and several Arab countries as well as India, Iran and Bosnia signed a declaration condemning the bombing and condemning the killing of Moslems, Christains, or 'other sects' (of course they shied away from mentioning Jews by name). Notably absent from the list was any shaikh or Imam from Saudi Arabia (Alarabiya.net, Aug 17).
Cheers
Mohammed
This would be an unusually clever move by Iraq's neighbors, as it would fill a diplomatic void that mainly Iran has been filling for several years. Besides, Iraq's Sunnis do not necessarily consider many Arab regimes as their true friends. They know that they lost power not only because of American action- they know that American troops, tanks and airplanes entered Iraq across Arab borders, Arab waters and Arab airspaces. The logistics and communications for the invaion were also organized through various Sunni-ruled Arab states, including all the Gulf monarchies and Jordan.
This possible thawing with the Arab governments, which comes after visits to Arab capitals first by VP Cheney then by Secretaries Rice and Gates, also comes as the ruling Shi'a-Kurdish coalition forms a majority government excluding its unwilling former partners. The coalition is seeking independent Sunni politicians to join the cabinet. It looks like one more Shi'a party might join the coalition, and Vice President Tareq al-Hashimi, the leading Sunni politician, has hinted of supporting the new coalition.
It would also be helpful to the Iraqi people if two concrete financial measures are taken by the neighbors, especially the Gulf monarchies: reduction of Iraq's debt and cancelation of the exorbitant reparations that are paid to some neighbors as compensation for the first Persian Gulf War. Iraq's neighbors should remember the experience of Versailles and the German reparations after World War I.
President Bush appointed James Baker a few years ago to renegotiate Iraq's foreign debt, and he had some success with the country's non-Arab debtors. The Paris Club of official debtors did alter its standards three years ago to include Iraq as a target for debt relief. There was some talk of reducing Iraq's Arab debt, but it has not gone far- most Iraq's Arab neighbors seem to want to, foolishly, use the debt as a source of political leverage to influence internal Iraqi politics.
The country's debt exceeded $120 billion before the invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and almost certainly doubled by 2003.
After the al-Qaeda bombing that killed nearly 500 Iraqi Yazidis earlier this week, a group of prominent Moslem clerics from different sects and several Arab countries as well as India, Iran and Bosnia signed a declaration condemning the bombing and condemning the killing of Moslems, Christains, or 'other sects' (of course they shied away from mentioning Jews by name). Notably absent from the list was any shaikh or Imam from Saudi Arabia (Alarabiya.net, Aug 17).
Cheers
Mohammed
Thursday, August 16, 2007
This week, the head of a Chinese plant that manufactures toys tainted with harmful chemicals hanged himself. He committed suicide rather than live in shame. The problems started with consumer complaints in the United States and the recall of millions of toys. Before that there was the recall of canned (tinned) food and toothpaste prepared in China.
Reading this, I recalled while we lived in the Gulf region, how most toys, childrens toys not adults', were imported from China- not only in Kuwait, but all across the Middle East. I have been looking through Arab media, especially in the Persian Gulf region- they cover the recall story briefly, but as something that does not concern them directly. Perhaps it is our famous fatalism. I have not seen anything in the Arab media about recalling toys or canned foods from the local markets. Nobody wants to hang himself, figuratively of course- not the potentates who always insist on presiding over what pass for consumer protection authorities, nor the merchants who import and distribute the products.
Falling on one's sword, so to speak, has not been part of the European repertoire in defeat and ignominy either, not since the days of the Roman Republic. But then, the Romans were not really 'Europeans' by today's definition: they were a Mediterranean people, like their early foes the Carthaginians. They also claimed descent from ancient Troy, which was Asian. Napoleon never tried falling on his sword even after two major defeats, preferring exile and perhaps living to fight another day, which he did once. Only a small German/Austrian guy with a silly little moustache did it 62 years ago- but then he was not a balanced man, and besides, he did not want to end up in a Slavic/Bolshevik cage in Moscow, the only alternative available to him. And he took his woman with him....just in case.
Can you imagine Rep. Dennis Hastert falling on his 'gavel' after the 2006 elections? Or Bill Clinton falling on his proverbial and abused 'cigar' after having to confess in public? That sounds painful.
Cheers
Mohammed
Reading this, I recalled while we lived in the Gulf region, how most toys, childrens toys not adults', were imported from China- not only in Kuwait, but all across the Middle East. I have been looking through Arab media, especially in the Persian Gulf region- they cover the recall story briefly, but as something that does not concern them directly. Perhaps it is our famous fatalism. I have not seen anything in the Arab media about recalling toys or canned foods from the local markets. Nobody wants to hang himself, figuratively of course- not the potentates who always insist on presiding over what pass for consumer protection authorities, nor the merchants who import and distribute the products.
Falling on one's sword, so to speak, has not been part of the European repertoire in defeat and ignominy either, not since the days of the Roman Republic. But then, the Romans were not really 'Europeans' by today's definition: they were a Mediterranean people, like their early foes the Carthaginians. They also claimed descent from ancient Troy, which was Asian. Napoleon never tried falling on his sword even after two major defeats, preferring exile and perhaps living to fight another day, which he did once. Only a small German/Austrian guy with a silly little moustache did it 62 years ago- but then he was not a balanced man, and besides, he did not want to end up in a Slavic/Bolshevik cage in Moscow, the only alternative available to him. And he took his woman with him....just in case.
Can you imagine Rep. Dennis Hastert falling on his 'gavel' after the 2006 elections? Or Bill Clinton falling on his proverbial and abused 'cigar' after having to confess in public? That sounds painful.
Cheers
Mohammed
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Rarely does one read an essay by a head of government, even if it is Lebanon, groveling in praise of a monarch. Today the Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora did it in an article published simultaneously in the Saudi-owned daily Asharq Alawsat and her sister satellite TV station Alarabiya website (both media are owned by Saudi princes). It is in the worst tradition of mercenary journalism that still persists in the Gulf region, especially in the offshore Saudi media. I have translated from Arabic a few pararaphs only of the extremely long piece- The king seems like a simple and amiable fellow personally, but some of the words set my skin crawling.
Warning: the reader may want to have a barf-bag (sick bag) nearby- by the time one gets to the last paragraph one may need a whole bucket and proximity to a.....facility (the very last paragraph is a treat, you'll need a whole bucket for that one alone):
"Writing about King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, and he being a leader and policy maker, is different frm writing about just a famous person or a friend. But knowledge and impressions about His Majesty the King have been available since he was a crown prince and haed of the national guard.....I have talked to him many times, and I have talked to many who know him- all impressions were the same: a straight personality, with the characteristics of leadership and governance, prefers thr truth and openness over any other, prefres action over words.....but when he talks, the words come from his heart....It is known that Saudi Arabia does not join axes (not even axes of goodness?), and does not participate in inter-Arab and regional disputes.....
"The Saudi leadership has visions and goals related to Arab stability and enabling Arabs to regain control of their own affairs and causes. The KIngdom has deployed energies and resources into unitiatives and abilities to solve internal Arab problems, to correct inter-Arab relations, especially with her neigbors (well, perhaps excluding Iraq?), and to change American policies in the region (is that what has been happening in iRaq lately?)......
"As for King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, the big human being, the great leader, the noble knight. may God smile upon him, extend his reign, allow us continuance of his existence, as a reward for what he has given and offered and what he has struggled for, toward the glory and progress of his kingdom, the impenetrable castle of Arabs and Moslems, and for the good of the Arab nation, and for the peace and Arab identity of Lebanon, and oits sovereignty and the stability of its democratic system...." Vive le roi!
It must be the King's birthday, it can't be his bar mitzvah. Maybe it is part of a periodic polishing of the image orchestrated by minions, because one or two other papers in the Gulf ragion published similar gusing tracts about the King today. It did not polish the image of Mr. Saniora much, though.
Cheers
Mohammed
Warning: the reader may want to have a barf-bag (sick bag) nearby- by the time one gets to the last paragraph one may need a whole bucket and proximity to a.....facility (the very last paragraph is a treat, you'll need a whole bucket for that one alone):
"Writing about King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, and he being a leader and policy maker, is different frm writing about just a famous person or a friend. But knowledge and impressions about His Majesty the King have been available since he was a crown prince and haed of the national guard.....I have talked to him many times, and I have talked to many who know him- all impressions were the same: a straight personality, with the characteristics of leadership and governance, prefers thr truth and openness over any other, prefres action over words.....but when he talks, the words come from his heart....It is known that Saudi Arabia does not join axes (not even axes of goodness?), and does not participate in inter-Arab and regional disputes.....
"The Saudi leadership has visions and goals related to Arab stability and enabling Arabs to regain control of their own affairs and causes. The KIngdom has deployed energies and resources into unitiatives and abilities to solve internal Arab problems, to correct inter-Arab relations, especially with her neigbors (well, perhaps excluding Iraq?), and to change American policies in the region (is that what has been happening in iRaq lately?)......
"As for King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, the big human being, the great leader, the noble knight. may God smile upon him, extend his reign, allow us continuance of his existence, as a reward for what he has given and offered and what he has struggled for, toward the glory and progress of his kingdom, the impenetrable castle of Arabs and Moslems, and for the good of the Arab nation, and for the peace and Arab identity of Lebanon, and oits sovereignty and the stability of its democratic system...." Vive le roi!
It must be the King's birthday, it can't be his bar mitzvah. Maybe it is part of a periodic polishing of the image orchestrated by minions, because one or two other papers in the Gulf ragion published similar gusing tracts about the King today. It did not polish the image of Mr. Saniora much, though.
Cheers
Mohammed
Monday, July 30, 2007
A huge new arms deal is near, providing very advanced U.S weapons to Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf monarchies. The deal is reported (New York Times, The Guardian) to total $ 20. In the receiving countries, there will be much more outlays for infrastructure, facilities, training, etc, contracts worth many more billions of dollars. Another side of the deal is increased military aid to Israe. Most Arab media in the Gulf concentrated on a "25% increase" in aid to Israel and ignored the Gulf weapons purchases.
This does not mean that the peoples of these countries can feel secure and rest easy now- but it might make a very few of them richer. It is not clear what is the purpose of these huge deals: the Gulf states, although they live in a notoriously dangerous neighborhood, have proven consistently that they are incapable of defending themselves without direct United States help. Several of these countries rely on foreign military personnel, especially Pakistani pilots to fly their warplanes. Yet these countries spend a higher percentage of their GDP (and GNP) on military expenditure than most other nations. There is always, of course, the lucrative by-product of these deals: some prince or shaikh always ends up with hundreds of millions of dollars in commissions ( or bribes depending on the relevant laws). Or perhaps it is not exactly a by-product, perhaps the commissions (and the bribes) are the goal.
The most famous case of arms commissions was investigated for being illegal (a bribe) by the British SFO, before being killed last spring by the Tony Blair government. That one involved Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, Head of Saudi National Security and part-time national security adviser to the Bush administration. He was reported by British media to have received only GBP 1 billion (a cool $2 billions). Now the prince can retire comfortably- no need to earn his living by advising the Bush administration on world affairs.
The sale may face some difficulties in the Senate for two reasons: possible Israeli reservations and recent U.S. disclosures that the Saudis not only send jihadist terrorists to Iraq, but also finance and arm them. Recent reports are gradually drawing a picture of what many have suspected for several years: that someone with deep pockets is financing some of the terrorists in Iraq, as was reported on this site some time ago.
Neverheless, the deal will eventually go through.
Iraq beat Saudi Arabia yesterday to win the Asian Cup in soccer (football). It was a victory in spite of being understaffed, in exile, and under-funded. This is ominous for the Saudi's Brazilian coach (trainer). The Saudi princelings who always run the soccer federation and the national team have the habit of quickly firing a coach when the team underperforms. The average tenure for a coach during the past eleven years has been less than a year, which gives a good idea how much soccer bang do they get for their bucks. But there may be some hope for the coach: with the next world cup only two and a half years away, and qualifiers around the corner, changing the coach now would be stupid, perhaps it is better to sack the management, i.e their highnesses.
Most likely, they will keep the coach until they either fail to qualify for the World Cup, or get knocked out in the first round...then it is hasta la vista baby.
Iraqi WTF?
Gulf media report that 45 people, claiming to be tribal shaikhs in southern Iraq, have declared an "autonomous government" for that region. There is to be a legislature and regional security forces. The shaikhs asserted their committment to one Iraqi state, but not "one supported by the occupation". None of the names mentioned by the group are involved in Iraqi politics currently, and it is not clear how this new "idea" relates to the original proposal of SCIRI (now SICI) chief Abdulaziz al-Hakeem for regional autonomy. The shaikhs did not refer to the Biden-Gelb ideas on confederation either- it is possible they never heard of either Biden or Gelb- perhaps they do not read the NY Times or Washington Post on a daily basis.
Cheers
Mohammed
This does not mean that the peoples of these countries can feel secure and rest easy now- but it might make a very few of them richer. It is not clear what is the purpose of these huge deals: the Gulf states, although they live in a notoriously dangerous neighborhood, have proven consistently that they are incapable of defending themselves without direct United States help. Several of these countries rely on foreign military personnel, especially Pakistani pilots to fly their warplanes. Yet these countries spend a higher percentage of their GDP (and GNP) on military expenditure than most other nations. There is always, of course, the lucrative by-product of these deals: some prince or shaikh always ends up with hundreds of millions of dollars in commissions ( or bribes depending on the relevant laws). Or perhaps it is not exactly a by-product, perhaps the commissions (and the bribes) are the goal.
The most famous case of arms commissions was investigated for being illegal (a bribe) by the British SFO, before being killed last spring by the Tony Blair government. That one involved Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, Head of Saudi National Security and part-time national security adviser to the Bush administration. He was reported by British media to have received only GBP 1 billion (a cool $2 billions). Now the prince can retire comfortably- no need to earn his living by advising the Bush administration on world affairs.
The sale may face some difficulties in the Senate for two reasons: possible Israeli reservations and recent U.S. disclosures that the Saudis not only send jihadist terrorists to Iraq, but also finance and arm them. Recent reports are gradually drawing a picture of what many have suspected for several years: that someone with deep pockets is financing some of the terrorists in Iraq, as was reported on this site some time ago.
Neverheless, the deal will eventually go through.
Iraq beat Saudi Arabia yesterday to win the Asian Cup in soccer (football). It was a victory in spite of being understaffed, in exile, and under-funded. This is ominous for the Saudi's Brazilian coach (trainer). The Saudi princelings who always run the soccer federation and the national team have the habit of quickly firing a coach when the team underperforms. The average tenure for a coach during the past eleven years has been less than a year, which gives a good idea how much soccer bang do they get for their bucks. But there may be some hope for the coach: with the next world cup only two and a half years away, and qualifiers around the corner, changing the coach now would be stupid, perhaps it is better to sack the management, i.e their highnesses.
Most likely, they will keep the coach until they either fail to qualify for the World Cup, or get knocked out in the first round...then it is hasta la vista baby.
Iraqi WTF?
Gulf media report that 45 people, claiming to be tribal shaikhs in southern Iraq, have declared an "autonomous government" for that region. There is to be a legislature and regional security forces. The shaikhs asserted their committment to one Iraqi state, but not "one supported by the occupation". None of the names mentioned by the group are involved in Iraqi politics currently, and it is not clear how this new "idea" relates to the original proposal of SCIRI (now SICI) chief Abdulaziz al-Hakeem for regional autonomy. The shaikhs did not refer to the Biden-Gelb ideas on confederation either- it is possible they never heard of either Biden or Gelb- perhaps they do not read the NY Times or Washington Post on a daily basis.
Cheers
Mohammed
Friday, July 27, 2007
Saudi Alarabiya TV reports (July 26) exciting news! A study by a “famous American institution”, no less, indicates how popular Saudia Arabia and her regime are around the world, especially the Arab world. Saudi King Abdullah is listed as extremely popular across the Middle East. The King is listed as the most admired Arab leader around the world (perhaps not much of a contest, but highly suspect nevertheless in my humble view). The study purportedly covers 47 countries, including 11 Arab and Islamic countries.
According to the study by Pew Research, 91% of Egyptians are happy with Saudi policy! That must include many who voted, or tried to vote, for the opposition. In Jordan, 90% expressed admiration for Saudi Arabia and her policies. In Kuwait 79%. The real shock, and the clincher, the smoking gun if you will, is that 82% of all Lebanese admire Saudi Arabia, her government and her king!
Imagine, in Lebanon, a country with 35-40% Shi’a (Shi’ite) at least! The study claims that 94% of Lebanse Sunnis admire Saudi policy and government and that the percentage declines to 64% among Shi’as. Imagine, a majority of Hezbollah and Amal-supporting Shi’as love and admire the Saudi system! Why, the king can run and win in Lebanon! No need for Saudi surrogates like Mr. Hariri or Iranian surrogates like Hezbollah.
It gets better: Egypt is the second most admired country- I can see the country being loved and admired, but its somnolent government? not so sure about that.
Now, the question is: did Pew Research really do this survey as Alarabiya claims? If they did, how did they manipulate the data to get the results desired by the Saudi regime? Were they supplied with the samples they used? And how much did they get paid for it, and by whom? I could not find an answer on Pew's web site, and no mention of this particular study. Perhaps it was a privately commissioned study?
Pew does list a recent study that indicates support for suicide bombing in Moslem countries has dropped dramatically in recent years, but it includes no squeals of admiration for Saudi or other Arab and Moslem potentates. Now if only the well of avalable and willing suicide bombers would dry up.
NY Times (July 27) reports that U.S officials are publicly exasperated, finally, with Saudi support for Sunni militias in Iraq. Saudi Arabia is also urging other Persian Gulf states to do likewise and funnel money to Sunni armed groups in Iraq, with the goal of destabilizing the Iraqi government. Saudi Arabia has some experience in financing groups, mainly tribals and jihadists, that would destabilize governments: examples are Yemen in the 1960s, Afghanistan in the 1980s, Lebanon, and Iraq.
Cheers
Mohammed
According to the study by Pew Research, 91% of Egyptians are happy with Saudi policy! That must include many who voted, or tried to vote, for the opposition. In Jordan, 90% expressed admiration for Saudi Arabia and her policies. In Kuwait 79%. The real shock, and the clincher, the smoking gun if you will, is that 82% of all Lebanese admire Saudi Arabia, her government and her king!
Imagine, in Lebanon, a country with 35-40% Shi’a (Shi’ite) at least! The study claims that 94% of Lebanse Sunnis admire Saudi policy and government and that the percentage declines to 64% among Shi’as. Imagine, a majority of Hezbollah and Amal-supporting Shi’as love and admire the Saudi system! Why, the king can run and win in Lebanon! No need for Saudi surrogates like Mr. Hariri or Iranian surrogates like Hezbollah.
It gets better: Egypt is the second most admired country- I can see the country being loved and admired, but its somnolent government? not so sure about that.
Now, the question is: did Pew Research really do this survey as Alarabiya claims? If they did, how did they manipulate the data to get the results desired by the Saudi regime? Were they supplied with the samples they used? And how much did they get paid for it, and by whom? I could not find an answer on Pew's web site, and no mention of this particular study. Perhaps it was a privately commissioned study?
Pew does list a recent study that indicates support for suicide bombing in Moslem countries has dropped dramatically in recent years, but it includes no squeals of admiration for Saudi or other Arab and Moslem potentates. Now if only the well of avalable and willing suicide bombers would dry up.
NY Times (July 27) reports that U.S officials are publicly exasperated, finally, with Saudi support for Sunni militias in Iraq. Saudi Arabia is also urging other Persian Gulf states to do likewise and funnel money to Sunni armed groups in Iraq, with the goal of destabilizing the Iraqi government. Saudi Arabia has some experience in financing groups, mainly tribals and jihadists, that would destabilize governments: examples are Yemen in the 1960s, Afghanistan in the 1980s, Lebanon, and Iraq.
Cheers
Mohammed
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The Saudi Human Rights ‘Authority’ is a government organization, as its name implies. It is run by state-paid bureaucrats, headed by an Arabian uber-shaikh or a red-checkered commissar. It is not concerned with human rights within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, no there is no such thing: its main concern is to look after Saudi detainees outside the country. Like those incarcerated at Club Guantanamo, and those many being held in Iraq for terrorism, and those being held in Syria for trying to sneak into Iraq, and those being held in Lebanon for leading the Fath al-Islam Salafi jihadist group in the ongoing battle against the Lebanese army.
Saudi media, owned or controlled by the ruling family and its retainers, are claiming that Saudis are being tricked into going to fight in Iraq and Lebanon. Reports indicate that perhaps almost 50% of the bombers in Iraq are Saudi Jihadists, and recent reports claim the the leader of Fath al-Islam is a Saudi.
Mosque imams and shaikhs regularly call for jihad to overthrow the Shi’a-dominated government in Iraq, and apparently there are some who listen and others who are willing to finance them. The kingdom is a tight police state, and it is highly unlikely that so many jihadists can cross its borders without being detected by security agents: they certainly have no difficulty catching in-filtrators, so why not catch the ex-filtrators as well?
Saudi Arabia has a clear interest in a chaotic Iraq right now, because that may be the only way to change the regime and perhaps even push the United States toward a confrontation with Iran, and give the amenable Sunni tribal shaikhs of the western regions a chance to ‘look good’ by opposing their former, and perhaps future, al-Qaeda allies.
Speaking of democracy: Prince Nayef, the powerful Saudi Minister of Interior (the man in charge of police, security, and controlling the borders) provided an interesting, and typical, insight the other day. He said that when he looks at the faces in the Shaura Council (the appointed and powerless consultative council) he sees good and wise faces. He said that is what matters, the presence of good and wise men on the council, regardless of how they got there. That is the message for his people who are not dim-witted and can take a hint: it does not matter if these men were appointed by the king rather than elected, as long as they are the right men. Oh, the oratory, the logic; eat your heart out, Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Meanwhile, al-Jazeera TV reports (7/21) that Saudi police arrested several ‘reform’ activists and that there were two women among them: the women were arrested because they publicly protested the arrest of their husbands. Police have claimed that the women had arms hidden in one of their homes, but al-Jazeera quotes Amnesty International that the weapons were put in place by the police.
Speaking of Amnesty International: it is mounting a campaign to save an Iranian woman from execution by stoning for adultery. Amnesty reports that her co-defendant/lover was stoned to death earlier this month. The couple were arrested eleven years ago, but now the woman’s execution has been postponed due to international pressure. Looks like the Iranian mullahs are picking up the slack after the Taliban left the scene, perhaps temporarily, in 2001.
Al-Jazeera also quotes U.S ambassador in Baghdad Ryan Crocker that Iran continues to arm militias in Iraq. Meanwhile, part of the new U.S policy is to arm Sunni militants who have been shooting at and blowing up American soldiers and Iraqis. Now we have a continued vicious circle in Iraq: oil money from the Gulf for years helped arm Sunni jihadists and terrorists many of whom came from the Gulf- Iran helped arm Shi’a (Shii’ite) groups- now the United States is arming Sunni militias while it complains about Iran arming Shi’as- then Iran will continue arming Shi’as- Iraqi officials are blaming Saudi sources for funding the terrorists- Saudis and their allies are blaming Iran for the situation in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon- and perhaps Darfur, the Congo and global warming as well for good measure- with the enthusiastic agreement of the Bush administration………ad nauseaum.
One odd question: when U.S troops kill an odd Lebanese Shi’a, or arrest four or five Iranians in Iraq, both rare events that occurred only once, the incidents are touted in the media as evidence of Iranian interference, and perhaps they are. However, when Saudis and others are arrested and killed in the hundreds in Iraq, clearly al-Qaeda jihadists, there is no official comment. Now, if one Lebanese killed in Iraq indicates Hezbollah interference, then tell me s’il vous plait: the many hundreds of Saudis killed and arrested in Iraq indicates…….what???
Saudi media, owned or controlled by the ruling family and its retainers, are claiming that Saudis are being tricked into going to fight in Iraq and Lebanon. Reports indicate that perhaps almost 50% of the bombers in Iraq are Saudi Jihadists, and recent reports claim the the leader of Fath al-Islam is a Saudi.
Mosque imams and shaikhs regularly call for jihad to overthrow the Shi’a-dominated government in Iraq, and apparently there are some who listen and others who are willing to finance them. The kingdom is a tight police state, and it is highly unlikely that so many jihadists can cross its borders without being detected by security agents: they certainly have no difficulty catching in-filtrators, so why not catch the ex-filtrators as well?
Saudi Arabia has a clear interest in a chaotic Iraq right now, because that may be the only way to change the regime and perhaps even push the United States toward a confrontation with Iran, and give the amenable Sunni tribal shaikhs of the western regions a chance to ‘look good’ by opposing their former, and perhaps future, al-Qaeda allies.
Speaking of democracy: Prince Nayef, the powerful Saudi Minister of Interior (the man in charge of police, security, and controlling the borders) provided an interesting, and typical, insight the other day. He said that when he looks at the faces in the Shaura Council (the appointed and powerless consultative council) he sees good and wise faces. He said that is what matters, the presence of good and wise men on the council, regardless of how they got there. That is the message for his people who are not dim-witted and can take a hint: it does not matter if these men were appointed by the king rather than elected, as long as they are the right men. Oh, the oratory, the logic; eat your heart out, Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Meanwhile, al-Jazeera TV reports (7/21) that Saudi police arrested several ‘reform’ activists and that there were two women among them: the women were arrested because they publicly protested the arrest of their husbands. Police have claimed that the women had arms hidden in one of their homes, but al-Jazeera quotes Amnesty International that the weapons were put in place by the police.
Speaking of Amnesty International: it is mounting a campaign to save an Iranian woman from execution by stoning for adultery. Amnesty reports that her co-defendant/lover was stoned to death earlier this month. The couple were arrested eleven years ago, but now the woman’s execution has been postponed due to international pressure. Looks like the Iranian mullahs are picking up the slack after the Taliban left the scene, perhaps temporarily, in 2001.
Al-Jazeera also quotes U.S ambassador in Baghdad Ryan Crocker that Iran continues to arm militias in Iraq. Meanwhile, part of the new U.S policy is to arm Sunni militants who have been shooting at and blowing up American soldiers and Iraqis. Now we have a continued vicious circle in Iraq: oil money from the Gulf for years helped arm Sunni jihadists and terrorists many of whom came from the Gulf- Iran helped arm Shi’a (Shii’ite) groups- now the United States is arming Sunni militias while it complains about Iran arming Shi’as- then Iran will continue arming Shi’as- Iraqi officials are blaming Saudi sources for funding the terrorists- Saudis and their allies are blaming Iran for the situation in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon- and perhaps Darfur, the Congo and global warming as well for good measure- with the enthusiastic agreement of the Bush administration………ad nauseaum.
One odd question: when U.S troops kill an odd Lebanese Shi’a, or arrest four or five Iranians in Iraq, both rare events that occurred only once, the incidents are touted in the media as evidence of Iranian interference, and perhaps they are. However, when Saudis and others are arrested and killed in the hundreds in Iraq, clearly al-Qaeda jihadists, there is no official comment. Now, if one Lebanese killed in Iraq indicates Hezbollah interference, then tell me s’il vous plait: the many hundreds of Saudis killed and arrested in Iraq indicates…….what???
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