"The package also includes a 25% increase in arms sales to Israel over the next 10 years, ensuring it maintains its military superiority in the region."

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Taken from the AngryArab

Palestinian boy facing Israeli occupation soldier while house is being demolished nearby

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"The US has announced military aid packages worth more than $60bn (£30bn) for Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other key Arab allies in the Gulf. The aim is to boost regional defences against the growing power of Iran and to induce the Saudis in particular to cut back support for Sunni insurgent groups inside Iraq. "

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"Why do you have a jug/bottle in the bathroom?"

I've tried to begin this article several times, yet I can't seem to approach this matter subtly and with minimum embarrassment. One of the less known intercultural dialogues that occur when young Arab or Muslim students share flats for the first time with Europeans or Americans is the inevitable question "Why do you have a jug/bottle in the bathroom?". The subsequent shock and horror they express when later they are told seems to me incredible but surely it's more hygienic or am I just being culturally obstinate? I've only brought this up because it seems to be something many of my friends seem to encounter when first they visit Western countries. I hear from African and Asian friends that Tashteef (to splash) is also the norm. Why do most people I meet in Europe and America refuse to even consider the concept? Living in a country where the toilet and bodily functions are considered suitable topics for jokes the uneasiness and avoidance of the topic is baffling to say the least!


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All the news networks are besides themselves in reporting the "unifying" effect of Iraq's football team...

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Gordon Brown: "And we should acknowledge the debt the world owes to the United States for its leadership in this fight against international terrorism,"

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OK...any bets on whether Musharraf will still be in power by December?

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I've just read on al Jazeera.net that Dahlan has resigned. This is not good, the occupation needs men with low profiles to undermine the Arabs. Dahlan has risen too prominently as a thug working for the Americans and the Israelis. I wonder who they will build up next?

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"There is now a weekly flight between Caracas and Tehran, with a stopover in Damascus, operated by the Venezuelan state-controlled airline Conviasa and Iran's national carrier, Iran Air. New mosques are popping up across Venezuela and universities are teaching Farsi."

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Dr Ali Shariati

A few posts back, I mentioned my excitement at having discovered the works of Dr. Ali Shariati. I didn't elaborate, however I guess now I can discuss a bit more about what I saw as relevant in the thought of this very intelligent man. Described as the intellectual mind behind the Iranian revolution, he died before it was ever realised yet. You can read more about him here. The reason why I thought his work was so phenomenal was because, like a blind man feeling his way in the dark, I was feeling my way to something which, to my delight, he had already articulated wonderfully and clearly. One thing which has continuously annoyed me was the disdain with which 'intellectuals' would view the Islamic religion and it's history. There has always been a tendency to assume that societies should secularise along largely Western models of government and that anything else was viewed with suspicion and ridicule.

While I don't believe any existing forms of government are truly Islamic at the moment, I was not that prepared to discount it entirely as improbable simply because I knew enough of it to realise that it did have everything within it to govern a confident, strong and contemporary nation. Writers such as Muhammad Asad were particularly interesting but it was only while researching for my dissertation on Hezbullah and reading some of the works of Khomeini that I began to realise the scale of what was being proposed. Anyhow, Shariati is well worth a read for those who believe there is a way out of the Western influenced secular/modernising trend of government and society, shaped by enlightenment based materialist thought whether Liberal or Socialist. Below is an excerpt which I thought particularly interesting as it highlights how many of those who subscribe to the notion that Western political thought and notions of governance are the end all and be all of societies around the world. The arguments they present to undermine various cases against occupation, oppression or Israel are quite familiar in this extract:


From Shariati's Where shall We Begin?


In Algeria in the 1950s, in order to divide and fractionalize the people and in turn to inflict a great disaster in North Africa, the colonial powers propagated the progressive views of thinkers such as Rousseau, Voltaire, and Morris Dubare, which are scientific and emphasize nationalism. The central thesis of nationalism that each nation should have its own state was used to divide the Arabs and Berbers, who had until then been united by their belief in Islam- thus they became victims of French colonialism. Now, in place of fighting the common enemy, Arab and Berber nationalists were facing and fighting one another. In short, when presented with a social theory, before evaluating its positive or negative contribution, one should understand the context and consequences of its presentation. Another example in my discussion is what I call "false bonds" or "fake common denominators." Just as it is possible to create animosity between two related groups, it is equally possible to establish spurious or false links between two enemies. This is a tactic, which has been used in Africa, Latin America and the Islamic East, by misusing the theses of common religion, nationalism, and humanism. These three schools of thought are legitimate ways of thinking, but if utilized in the wrong time and place they can easily turn into the tools of creating unity among people who should be fighting one another. Humanism is a school of thought, which is used to combat nationalism, because today the latter has become a progressive anti-colonialism front in African Asia, and Latin America. In the Third World, particularly African it is even more progressive than Marxism. It has taken the leadership away from official Marxism in the struggle fur independence.

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I wonder if I should make the editorial decision on this blog to label all those who support Israel's right to exist as "Nakbah-deniers"? Thus, an announcement here would sound like this, "Rudolph Guliani, a former mayor of New York and a self-proclaimed Nakbah-denier has announced his intention of running for president, appointing Martin Kramer, another vehement Nakbah-denier as his Middle East policy advisor".

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On The Economist

I love the subtlety of the Economist. A great newspaper by all means, the editorial is where it displays the great bias and arrogance. While the articles it carries are usually balanced, well researched and interesting, the paper also manages to convey veiled references delegitimizing anything which challenges it's Liberal, pro-American vision of the world developing in a linear, secular path to modernisation. The current issue has chosen it's focus on favourite pet hate, the Islamic government of Iran. No fan of it myself, I do however find the tone at times condescending and at others, downright insulting yet it also displays something else. It is a perfect example of how violence, occupation, attacking Islam [the religion] and support for Israel are rationalised in Western societies, calmly and eloquently in a way suitable for polite conversation.

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Fully supportive of American efforts to reshape the Middle East, the paper manages to provide respectability for the regimes which kowtow to the United States, while rabidly attacking those opposed. Granted, it gently chides these "moderates" for democratic shortcomings and human rights abuses, but since these are the Sahib's man-servants they can't surely be expected to be as effective at the White Man's game? In fact it is almost with affection that the paper watches how they are trying to emulate their masters, like a child emulating their parent without fully understanding the purpose of the movements. No, the greatest criticism is reserved for those native 'savages' who dare resist the White Man. These people, biting the hand that feeds them civilization are the ones who are 'irresponsible' in their actions. If moderately successful in their resistance, these savages are elevated to enormous stature and attributed terrifying and far reaching capabilities. The nature of their lives is barbaric simply because it is not the same as the Sahib, they reject his lifestyle, his gods and his handouts. They become a bogeyman to scare the very people the Sahib is oppressing and should there be educated natives, newspapers such as The Economist provide an intelligent and articulate rationale for the presence of the White Man on their lands. He's here to save you, if you learn from him you too will be allowed into the golf club with him, play "the big man" and maybe even have a photo opportunity with Him. It goes without saying that these hand reared intellectuals then become the "moderates" the media love referring to.

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For the Economist, any form of Islamic government, in fact, any form of government which is not 'Western' in structure and essence is not good enough, "Iran is a self-proclaimed theocracy." is a sentence which is supposed to carry all the condemnation necessary. It is like saying "Bob is a self-proclaimed rapist." no further accusation is necessary. It also willingly ignores the nature of America's involvement in the region through the "moderates" by imbuing them with their own independent will, at least for the sake of the article. Should Iran go nuclear, then the region runs the risk of becoming a "cat's cradle of nuclear tripwires.". Why would this happen? The why is because these same "moderate" countries which take their orders from Washington are the ones which would be "compelled to follow suit" by developing nuclear capabilities. Ostensibly Egypt, Saudi Arabia and perhaps Turkey are revealed and portrayed as rational and independent actors in the region who now mysteriously find Iran a bigger threat than Israel and naturally feel it necessary to defend themselves from it. The Economist neglects to tell you that these countries cannot develop toilet paper without the go ahead of the United States and that it is precisely the United States which would be responsible for this "cat's cradle" of nuclear tripwires. Like much of the mess that is the Middle East, the Economist willingly ignores the crimes committed by the countries it holds in such high esteem within the region. In doing so it has become an accomplice in, and an apologist for, those crimes. To paraphrase from their own article, the Economist is "a self-proclaimed Liberal newspaper" - no more elaborate condemnation is necessary for me. The discerning of it's readers already know the gravity of such a charge.

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PS. I do still think they are a great newspaper.

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"But he was attractive to us in the same way that all monarchs appear useful in the West. He was educated, pro-Western, pro-democracy (up to a point) and, though a Pashtun, a supposedly popular figure across all Afghanistan's tribes. He was not. But we like to promote these people because we feel they are "safe". We understand monarchies, and Zahir, though he was closer to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in his desire to " secularise" his country (why must we always expect Muslim countries to be "secularised"?), was a king and we are familiar with kings and queens. We liked King Idris of Libya and King Farouk of Egypt and King Abdullah of Jordan, just as – after we were forced to dispense with Idris and Farouk and replace them with supposedly pro-Western colonels and generals – we continue to love King Abdullah of Jordan and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and all the other princes and emirs of the Gulf. "

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Blair: The trick is to get these ragheads to think I'm on their side, then we've got the buggers!
Tzipi: Shh... just keep smiling.

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Whatever you do, don't mention Viet Nam:

"The situation has grown so dire that the US ambassador to Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, asked Washington this month to grant immigrant visas to every single Iraqi employed by the US government in Iraq to stop them quitting or fleeing the country."

Saigon 1975

Baghdad 200x ? / Tel Aviv 20xx?

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One would think it is Israel which was flattened last July, that it is Israel which is occupied by the Palestinians and that it is they who have been forced time and again to make concessions under duress, economic hardship and in the face of Western collusion with it's enemies:

"Blair is not necessarily the best thing that has happened to Israel in recent times, and that is putting it mildly,"

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Two sides to every story? Most certainly not...

Apparently Israel has approved a textbook for "Israeli Arab schools" presenting the 'Arab viewpoint'. This includes such phrases as "some of the Palestinians were expelled following the War of Independence and that many Arab-owned lands were confiscated" (As'ad Abu Khalil also made the same emphasis). Of course the book is being criticised by some in Israel as defeatist - shock horror, such a brave step forward by the Israelis. Do they honestly think that by creating such fake controversy around the history book any Palestinian would forget what really happened? Are there really just two sides to this story? Not when you remember that at one point Palestine was mostly Arab and at the next millions of European and North American Jews emigrated there and (with mostly British and Russian arms) proclaimed their independent 'state'. The textbook apparently states that the Arabs rejected a UN partition plan, something Jewish leaders agreed with. This reminds me of the story about Solomon judging between two women and a baby - each claiming it is her own. He ordered that the baby be cut in half for each. The real mother risked losing her baby forever by refusing this option. Solomon recognised her claim to it.

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Naji al Ali

On this day in 1987, Naji al Ali was NOT shot by unknown assailants. It was NOT the PLO that ordered his killing and there were NO allegations that it was Yasser Arafat who authorised this.

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A lesson to all those who supported American designs on the region, you are only a friend as long as you are useful :

"Turkey's Prime Minister has threatened an invasion of northern Iraq if, after the Turkish election on Sunday, talks fail with Iraq and the US on curbing the activities of Turkish Kurd guerrillas.

Turkish artillery has been firing increasingly heavy barrages at villages in the north of Iraqi Kurdistan. After three Turkish soldiers were killed and five wounded by a mine laid by PKK guerrillas last week, some 100 shells exploded around the border town of Zakho, forcing residents to flee."

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"The American Dream of riches for all is turning into a nightmare of inequality"

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American restrictions...

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Pining for home

A while back I mentioned that I was going back to Syria for the first time in years. Well apparently that isn't happening - my paperwork is not in order and it is 'advisable' for me to sort it all out before going back down there. Everybody is telling me things are tense there. I thought about going to Lebanon for a visit, but again, things there are too "tense". Ironic that though I have the entire world open for me to visit, the only places I want to go to are off limits and that includes all the people I love and miss. How ironic that a place I thought I'd never leave and a world I thought I'd never see have now swapped places. The mundane and the exotic and then from the exotic back to the mundane. I guess there was never anything mundane about Syria, it was one of those countries where the slow everyday pace deceptively gave the impression that it was a sleepy land, a land where nothing ever happened. The beautiful calls to prayer five times a day reminded one of Syria's connection, not just to her past, but to a spiritual strength which is probably imbued in all her inhabitants. A sense of detachment from a beautiful but small world, with all its enchantments, and a reminder of something bigger and nobler which we can aspire to get to.

I remember when, as a child, I'd look outside the aeroplane window at night as we arrived at Damascus. The telltale green lights of the minarets amidst the twinkling lights of the city were always the precursor to a magical stay at a grandmothers house. That old house in the Shaalan, with the musky old smell and coolness which one finds in the entrance and stairways to such buildings giving way to the warm welcoming smell and atmosphere of my grandmothers house. In the house, the traya (chandeliers) glittered when switched on and the french style wood furniture carved in all manner of strange patterns, and always, the smell of coffee. Black strong in a small rakwe (type of pot). The things which cling on in my memory are the small things, the pattern of the floor in our house, the horrible stuffed eagles my uncle brought (which eventually fell apart but at the time we thought were the coolest things ever).

The days gently slid us into a sleepy routine. In the morning, we'd wake up to the noise of the people going about their business. The smells from the old bakery beneath us wafting up and enticing us out of bed. The grocer or mazoot guy passing by with their horse drawn cart and honking that horrid horn. I remember the attraction was always the horses, so beautifully decorated and with jingly bells and tassles and those large plumes of feathers on their heads. We always used to rush out to the balcony to see those horses or donkeys, lumbering along dutifully day in and day out. In the evening, the man with his dara (corn on the cob) wagon would pass and you'd see him moving around with a big boiling cauldron. He'd wrap them in newspapers and sprinkle salt on if you wanted, we never turned down the chance to have dara.

The sleepy afternoons would eventually rouse into an exciting carnival of light and activity. Shaalan itself always came to life at night. Once the hustle and bustle of the day ended, shops would reopen, blaring music. People would walk around and mingle or shop, cars driving past, music blasting and circling, always circling. Once, twice, three times who cared? Stopping for a bit and chatting to friends, then back on the move before going back home. In Damascus, you always run into people you know eventually. Then, we would head home exhausted and rest for another exciting day. Maybe we'd go swimming with friends or to a barbeque. I've tried barbeques in America and Britain. I've tried South African style "bries" (I think that's how you spell it) but none measure up to Arabic barbeques in flavour, texture and creativity. All these smells, sensations, sounds and memories bubble to the surface like a long suppressed memory everytime I feel I'm getting close again, only to be dashed when I realise how far I really have left to go. All those old friends of mine doing God knows what with their lives now. All those old crushes of mine, now happily married and with children, who were the objects of my longing, desires and dreams of what could have been.

All those memories are now but glowing embers, igniting with only the slightest breath of air. I do wish I could start having new memories of Syria, but for now, I'll have to be patient. It's been 9 long years and I am oh so very tired of living in the ghurbah.

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"Americans have probably not yet fully woken up to the appalling fact that, after a long period in which the first motto of their military was "no more Vietnams", they face another Vietnam. There are many important differences, of course, but the basic result is similar. The mightiest military in the world fails to achieve its strategic goals and is, in the end, politically defeated by an economically and technologically inferior adversary."

I wonder, if they did not learn after Viet Nam, will they ever learn?

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Something has just happened... I have just started reading the thoughts of Dr Ali Shariati. I'm almost speechless.


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I like this headline from the Independent: "Derby man who came to Iraq to wage war" as opposed to the other British men and women in Iraq who are there to plant daisies I suppose.

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Just listening to the Syrian President make a speech on al Jazeera. He's not a very good orator, not at all.

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First they will try to bribe the Palestinians, if that does not work, they are going to start exterminating everything that moves in Gaza: "Mr Bush called the present time "a moment of clarity for all Palestinians. And now comes a moment of choice." To encourage them to choose Fatah over Hamas, he promised an increase in aid to the Fatah president, Mahmoud Abbas, and a separate donor conference that would include Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan."

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On Africa

"When the white man came we had the land and they had the Bible. They taught us to pray with our eyes closed and when we opened them, they had the land and we had the Bible"

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Last fall, shortly after I returned from Nigeria, I was accosted by a perky blond college student whose blue eyes seemed to match the "African" beads around her wrists."Save Darfur!" she shouted from behind a table covered with pamphlets urging students to TAKE ACTION NOW! STOP GENOCIDE IN DARFUR!

My aversion to college kids jumping onto fashionable social causes nearly caused me to walk on, but her next shout stopped me.

"Don't you want to help us save Africa?" she yelled.

It seems that these days, wracked by guilt at the humanitarian crisis it has created in the Middle East, the West has turned to Africa for redemption. Idealistic college students, celebrities such as Bob Geldof and politicians such as Tony Blair have all made bringing light to the dark continent their mission. They fly in for internships and fact-finding missions or to pick out children to adopt in much the same way my friends and I in New York take the subway to the pound to adopt stray dogs.

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Ibn Bint Jbeil has written a blog article about Malcolm X. Read it here.

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If the doctor and nurses held in the ridiculous and sham trial that is Libya's HIV scandal were British, American or even Saudi, they would be have been out a long time ago. This is the status of justice in the Potato of Islam Mu'ammar al Qadhafi's Libya.

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I met Phil Rees last night, author of "Dining with Terrorists". A very soft spoken man with interesting ideas who appears to be challenging commonly held assumptions. I was pleasantly surprised when we both started talking about Dr Ali Shariati and his influence on non-Western models of political development and "ways of life". He's definitely onto something with his new documentary and it looks like it might ruffle quite a few feathers. It will be out at the end of the month apparently, on Channel 4 here in the UK. He also gave me a copy of his book, which I have just started reading, and it is quite interesting - more later.

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Michael Jackson learning Arabic?

Somebody played me a song allegedly by Michael Jackson in which he is praising Allah in Arabic with some pretty good pronunciation. I understand the man is now in Bahrain but is this true? The way he was singing sounded an awful lot like somebody who is looking into becoming Muslim. Very very strange hearing that is all I can say.

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"... suppose they were an influence, a thing invulnerable, intangible, without front or back, drifting about like a gas? Armies were like plants, immobile as a whole, firm-rooted, nourished through long stems to the head. The Arabs might be a vapour..."

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This is a video by Sean Smith on the Guardian website, detailing the "harrowing" experiences of U.S. occupation forces in Iraq. I found myself with little sympathy for these men. Notice how sympathetic the narrator appears while describing what they are going through. Notice how he decisively announces that the taxi driver was killed because "he failed to stop". Failed to stop??!?! Notice how much the Americans are welcomed in Iraq, for 14 months the attacks have not ceased on this particular group of them - 14 months...

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Ghassan Kanafani

Golaniya as usual has given me yet another insight into famous personalities and intellectuals from the Arab world, committed to the struggle against Zionism. The anniversary of Ghassan Kanafani's death has just passed, noticed online by many including the Angry Arab. I have found an interesting link about the man and his works which I will peruse later tonight or tomorrow. If you are interested too then please click here. His writings were of such effect that the Mossad assassinated him, killing his 16 year old niece in the process.

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"Palestinian negotiators have called for Tony Blair to be given a broader role as the international community's Middle East envoy, overseeing both Israeli and Palestinian obligations."

Oh my oh my...

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"The relationship with Islam is central to his ministry and he has found a way to counter Islam without violence: it is called evangelism. "

Ok, I really mean it, this is the last post I quote today from The Times. I have posted too much about religion today and it's starting to look like the Times has an agenda against Muslim people (as well as Asians, immigrants, dark people who haven't been saved by the White Man and Hugo Chavez). Actually, it is starting to eerily look like they do...

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"There was evidence that many had been brainwashed into a cult of martyrdom, and the authorities feared last night that some were being prepared to be suicide bombers. In barely eight weeks, Saima had been transformed from a religious but fun-loving girl to a jihadi, grimly craving martyrdom."

Lock your daughters away people! This madness might even be infectious! You see for The Times, inside every Muslim is an American, trying to get out.

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I do enjoy reading the comment section of The Times, especially when it comes to people commenting about the Middle East, Arabs or Islam. Here is a real gem by Minette Marrin that follows similar lines to the old "I'm not racist but..." theme:

As for the usual comment that most Muslims are not terrorists, that is true. But the fact is that most terrorists are Muslims. They come from Muslim environments, they attend madrasahs, mosques and Muslim clubs and societies and spend long periods in Muslim countries. And nonMuslims have been waking up to the thought that these Muslim groups could and should do more about the terrorists in their midst.

You see, it is now respectable to write openly racist rubbish like this on national newspapers about Muslims today. Imagine if somebody wrote a similar article but said:

"Most Black people are not criminals, that is true. But the fact is that most criminals are Black people. They come from Black environments..."

or how about:

"And nonBlacks have been waking up to the thought that these Black groups could and should do more about the criminals in their midst."

This is what now passes as thought provoking and insightful in most British news media.

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"Reform, I soon found out, was not a euphemism for regime change - it just meant more respect for the rule of law and human rights, in order to preserve the Islamic system of government, not overthrow it."

You see for somebody like Frances Harrison, it is an Islamic government which is the problem, not that somebody had been attempting to reform it. Another Orientalist lamenting the Persia of the history books, "This is not a culture where anyone says anything directly - and it can sometimes be infuriating for a foreigner. " You know what? An Iranian friend of mine was shocked about how direct people are here in the UK. In fact, when immigration noted his surprise after they asked him directly for his passport, they smiled and said "you must be Iranian? It's ok, here in England we are always direct and to the point."

Imagine if a BBC correspondent wrote the following about the United States:

"Reform, I soon found out, was not a euphemism for regime change - it just meant more respect for the rule of law and human rights, in order to preserve the liberal capitalist system of government, not overthrow it."

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Petra has been appointed one of the new "wonders" of the world. Apparently the Jordanians are overjoyed at this. Truly, they can be as proud of Petra as the Egyptians are proud of the Pyramids or Shah-era Persians over the Persian empire, Lebanon over the Phoenicians or Italians over the Romans, etc. etc.

You see, it doesn't matter if you are a loser now, what matters is that somebody who used to live where you are now did something amazing once and you can now take credit for it..

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If you had the choice, what would you change in Syria?

If is a very big word. Posed as part of a question where the limit is the human imagination and the difficulty is in distinguishing which of the flood of desires and wants bubbling within you should be the one you wish to satisfy. "If you could have just one thing, what would it be?" A ferrari? Fame? Looks? Women? Men?? Make a wish. Many years ago I watched an American film, the title of which I can't remember, about an evil genie who asks people that very question. However, what you think is what you want turns out to be your ultimate nightmare or even undoing. Whatever desire is requested of him, his evil nature twists the outcome in such a way that to answer him would be to your eternal doom. However, his power only lay over those who would respond to him but, since it would be too boring otherwise, none of the protagonists can resist the urge to do so. Indeed, when it comes to desire, it was easy for me to sit back as a teenager and scream out "Don't answer him!!". However, would I have done any differently in a similar situation?

The Creative Forum is hopefuly nowhere near as evil as our crafty genie, one would hope, but the question they have recently posted elicits the same feelings that I think many of his victims would have recognised. Indeed, many have responded to the articles with a variety of responses no doubt coloured by their own interests and addressing a range of ills. Bridget Palmer wished that fast food restaurants and change would stop and preserve Syria in a pristine, non-commercial state allowing her to enjoy the 'authentic' Syrian culture, unpolluted by nefarious Western fast food outlets. George Ajjan brings a live and let live attitude which advocates a compromise of sorts with the country's political and economic elite. Others such as Abu Kareem and Mohanad Attassi have addressed specific issues and laws which need to be repealed, abolished or amended and that they argue would be best for Syria. All are very valid responses and indeed, very much needed. However is this really what Syria needs? Will these changes, in a miraculous "If" scenario, bring about what is best for the country and the people? Or will they, like the Genie's hapless victims, lead to all sorts of gruesome and grim outcomes. Here I will attempt to answer the Genie's question at the risk of an uncertain fate.

I make no pretensions to know what ails the average Syrian, I haven't been there for a very long time and in fact, have lived only a part of my life there. This however, does not make me any less a Syrian, since my upbringing has proven the fertile soil from which sprouts my profound love and longing for this homeland. Perhaps this makes answering such a question particularly dangerous since all sorts of thoughts enter my mind, all of which I brusquely push aside as I think through the end result. There is something missing in Syria and which has been so for a very long time - justice. Now one is probably wondering why on earth I would insist on answering with such a vague term, but is it so vague? What is justice? What do we mean by it and is this really what Syrians want? Let's have a closer look..

The Oxford English dictionary defines justice as follows:

justice: n. 1 just behaviour or treatment. 2 the quality of being fair and reasonable. 3 the administration of law in a fair and reasonable way 4 a judge or magistrate

One of the biggest problems I faced with my own If dilemma was how to arrange for a successful marriage between what I wished to happen and what could actually happen. Did I want revolution? Compromise with common criminals and thieves? A repeal of archaic and damaging laws? I felt all these dealt with the problem too superficially and did not address the root causes of what I saw as Syria's justice deficit. Like I said I know little of what is happening on the street, but I hear enough to know it is not good. Where is the justice in some families not tasting meat except once a year if that. The justice in money which is intended for the public good used for private purposes, corruption. Where is the justice in being locked up for speaking the truth, criticising that injustice or being born as part of an ethnic or religious minority and on that basis, marginalised and persecuted. Some in the past have criticised Syria as an Alawite regime, yet few recall the status, treatment and poverty of many Alawites in Syria prior to the seventies and in some cases this has still not improved. Where is the justice in not being able to even work your way out of poverty because there are no jobs and no opportunities that you have to go live amongst strangers in distant lands to make a decent living. I can go on and on about the Palestinians, the plight of Iraqi refugees within Syria and about military service. The end result is, where is the justice, the "quality of being fair and reasonable" in our country? What has happened to the legendary Arab hospitality that we proudly parade on endless television series, yet Iraqi girls are having to work in cheap brothels for Saudi sex tourists on the road to Saidnaya just to make a living? The problem with Syria is everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die. Instead they just emigrate.

I am not an advocate of liberalism or democracy and couldn't give two hoots about whether democracy ever takes root in our countries. If anything I hope it never does. Plato and Socrates used to consider democracy the worst form of government where the nation is ruled by its peoples base desires. Aristotle argued it was the least worst form of government after tyranny and oligarchy and in that I do agree with him should there be no other alternative. Principled Islamic thinkers, along with their own Islamic principles, inherited Plato's aversion to rulers and kings since they rightly believed that such power was a source of great corruption and heavy responsibility, best taken by somebody else. Entrusting legislation to the desires of an uninterested and self absorbed mass of people leads to all sorts of ills which I will not go into here. Ultimately though, it is justice which was required from the ruler. Syria's foreign policy has charted it skilfully through many treacherous waters and continues to do so, without jeapordising the ultimate justice which can be denied at the highest level to a nation, such as has happened with Palestine. However, not pursuing justice in all avenues has also led to many of the problems Syria suffers. Syrian troops overstaying their welcome in Lebanon, heavy handedness and corruption all tarnished Syria's image in what is, I continue to firmly believe, another part of the same country, call it what you may. Heavy handedness, torture, corruption to the highest levels all taking place domestically have stripped Syria of justice within and now, like a raped woman whose clothes are in tatters, she is trying to cover her shame. Each time she moves the cloth up, something else is exposed. Prying eyes feast on her futile attempts at modesty, aroused at the prospect of finishing the job. Where is the justice? Most importantly, if the government no longer cared about this, who will seek it and how will it be obtained?

My tendencies are for a typical Chekovian style of justice where all would end up dead and justice served to its fullest, yet the weakness of the flesh and the wants of the individual sometimes render such solutions as impossible for all. Still, we can make changes individually and dare I say it on a government level without throwing the baby with the bathwater. As Muslims would say, "God does not change what is in a people until they change what is within themselves" a saying I am particularly fond of and which applies for many Syrians. When was the last time you actively enquired about somebody who was poor in Syria and needed something, did you help them? There are Iraqi refugees who haven't got enough food to eat, after the media hype died down did you ask about them, buy a bag of goceries and visit them every week. If you are a rich 'mas2ool' how much does it cost you to run a soup kitchen every week, or to buy domestic goods instead of spending your money on frivolous consumer items imported at great cost to Syria from the very countries which are trying to subjugate everything you are? Do you really need all those cars? Do you care what people think of you if you don't wear designer clothes? The point I am trying to make is that all the expatriates money in the world, returning doctors, lawyers and IT experts returning to Syria will not make an iota of difference if Syrians themselves to do not confidently assert their free and independent thought and actively seek justice for all, even at their own discomfort. Where is the justice in sleeping with a full stomach and your neighbours children are still hungry. That neighbour might even be about half an hours drive away. Before the body is made free, the mind must be freed and it is only when one actively seeks justice, even in the smallest way, that we have a chance for all the other measures and changes to succeed.

Many would argue that this is all impractical and utopian, but the point is precisely not to care if others are on the same path but to start walking yourself. Does it really cost a lot to ask somebody from your family back home to buy groceries for a poor family every week and pop buy for five minutes? Do the people who constitute our political and economic elite come from somewhere outside of Syria or are they not Syrians born and bred on the very same land. Jesus once said that you can judge a tree from its fruit, so what kind of tree are we if we think we are a part of and at the same time separate from the rest of society? I'm not trying to preach to anybody, nor do I believe in universalist ideologies, but surely treating the problem at its root and seeking the truth in our own assumptions as well as what is around us is the first step to fixing society? A society where it is the norm to be "fair and reasonable"? Perhaps rather than asking what we'd like to change in Syria, maybe we should be asking what we'd like changed in Syrians?

In case you were wondering, the Genie was finally defeated when the lady he forced to make a wish asked that the man who accidentally released him was not drunk on the day that happened. It negated all the Genies actions and justice was restored for all. If I had that Genie, I'd probably ask that Alfred Dreyfus was never treated unjustly.

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War against Syria and Lebanon.

I've been observing with some concern the variety of reports we are getting about what is happening in the region. One thing I have to get out of the way before talking about anything else is the sham "carrot" dangled in front of Syria earlier this year regarding talks about the return of the Jolan Heights from Israeli occupation. One minute we heard Israel was willing but the United States was against, the next minute we heard Syria was willing to discuss. It's highly unlikely that any of this was ever anything more than diplomatic posturing and one-upmanship, I thought so then and still do, but what are interesting are the events on the ground.

In Lebanon, it is almost impossible to hire any heavy digging machinery from what I hear. Many have been hired by Hezbullah, ostensibly to prepare fortifications and defensive lines. The price of small arms in Lebanon has also risen considerably, again in preparation for the next Israeli attack. Meanwhile in Syria, we hear stories of units moving closer to the border with Israel, accusations of regular shipments to Hezbullah over the border and according to Joshua Landis, a request for all Syrian students in Lebanon to return by July the 15th. Apparently the Brammertz report is also due on that very same day and Landis quite rightly wonders, is this a coincidence? On that note, the entire media attention concerning the tired Hariri investigation has blown over, reinforcing my view that the whole saga we saw was a part of the 'old' New Middle East plan and it's usefulness is for now diminished. At the time, the purpose was simply to oust Syria from Lebanon and pave the way for a crushing of Hezbullah with the emergence of a 'moderate' Lebanon firmly in the pro-American camp. This did not work as we later saw and the struggle for Lebanon's soul continues.

The spy games between Iran and the United States are heating up considerably; spies, scientists and former military officials getting kidnapped, assassinated or 'disappeared' while accusations of increasing Iranian involvement with resistance operations within Iraq are increasing in frequency. This really isn't news, though it was a surprise to see the Americans parading what they claimed was a Hezbullah operative involved with training and logistics for Shia groups in the south of Iraq. Though some claimed it was unlikely Hezbullah needed to be involved, I think it's quite possible that the wealth of experience gained fighting America's proxy last year would be most useful for any Shia groups fighting the Americans this summer or in the future. The American attache in Cyprus found 'dead' earlier this week appears to have been the latest casualty of this low intensity spy game. Another interesting development is the British embassy's decision to close for the time being in Damascus. Unusual and, as of yet, with no valid reason that holds up to scrutiny.

Now, what is going on? Patrick Lang offers an interesting explanation which is well worth a read. Hezbullah certainly believes the next Israeli attacks are imminent and Israel itself has recently finished the biggest and most intensive training exercise in years within the occupied Jolan Heights. Lang argues that Israel will attempt to smash through Syria's border, inflict a decisive blow there and then swing West, attacking Hezbullah from the rear. This argument does indeed make sense but it is highly unlikely that this possibility has not been considered by strategists in Hezbullah or Damascus. If anything, locking a massive Israeli attack force between a hammer and anvil disguised as a weak point makes perfect sense. If that is, one would hope, what is indeed what they have prepared for. My only concern is that there is still no effective and reliable way to shield civilians from Israeli airstrikes and the result last year was truly devastating for Lebanon.

Israel has never recovered from the blow to its 'prestige' last summer and it seems that much of the Israeli population is firmly behind going in and 'finishing the job', ie. try to destroy Hezbullah. The jingoism and enthusiasm for war remains strong with Haaretz hosting a now permanent section referring to the "Iranian threat" presumably part of a concerted media effort to keep the Israeli population tuned to the 'next big threat' to them after Saddam Hussein. Also, the American "Cheneites" Lang refers to in his blog probably realise it is now or never for that final push to reshape the Middle East, otherwise all their attempts to conquer and subjugate the region fully will have been lost. I think the 'phony war phase' we are seeing in the region is coming to a close, it will be a very hot summer this year.

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" "There is no evidence of foul play," the official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. "He had a wound in the neck which is compatible with self-infliction." "

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British Embassy in Damascus

Does anybody know why the British Embassy/Consulate is now closed for Visa applications in Damascus? Apparently it will remain like this for another year...

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US Diplomat disappears in Cyprus

"Mr Mooney carries the title of defence attache. The embassy has declined to specify the nature of his work, referring to him as an employee, though defence attaches are frequently involved in intelligence work or weapons procurement."

By the way, does anybody remember what happened to that Iranian official who "defected" to the West? Nobody is talking about this anymore...

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"A key aim of the King Abdullah International Gardens is to give Riyadh a sense of cultural gravitas, its backers claim. Although one of the world's principal cities, Riyadh lacks museums and other centres. It is well supplied with shops for the lavishly rich and little else."

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"Air strikes in the British-controlled Helmand province of Afghanistan may have killed civilians, coalition troops said yesterday as local people claimed that between 50 and 80 people, many of them women and children, had died."

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"Indeed, I remember way back in the late 1970s - when I was Middle East correspondent for The Times - how a British diplomat in Cairo tried to persuade me to fire my local "stringer", an Egyptian Coptic woman who also worked as a correspondent for the Associated Press and who provided a competent coverage of the country when I was in Beirut. "She isn't much good," he said, and suggested I hire a young Englishwoman whom he knew and who - so I later heard - had close contacts in the Foreign Office."

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Revolt and Free yourself Oh Human (My own translation)

Revolt and free yourself oh Human and challenge the night of tyranny
Keep your weapon held up high so that all the nations can live

Revolt and free yourself oh Human
You who are made homeless within Palestine and in your blood is kneaded the mud
You have been planting your seeds for years but the crows have been eating them

Oh Arab son of the glorious ones
You alone speak with the Daad

Your nation is in the hands of the scoundrels
What a shame about all those beautiful valleys

Revolt and free yourself oh Human

Your home has been wounded by the unclean
while the Arab honour has been trod upon

Die free and with head held high
rather than live humiliated

Revolt and free yourself oh Human

Oh you who rejects the humiliation of the strangers
and your dignity is the holy Quds

Your enemy is from within but ruined
while in your nation your heart holds strong

Revolt and free yourself oh Human

Revolt and free yourself oh Human

and challenge the night of tyranny
Keep your weapon held up high
so that all the nations can live
Revolt and free yourself oh Human

Sheikh Imam said of this song in an interview:


Denouncing the traitors and the treachery one finds in the Arab world. This song was a call reminding the human to stay awake and remain aware of his rights, and that if he does not, then he will remain in submission. The nation does not like submission and does not accept treachery.

"Your home has been wounded by the filthy ones, and the Arab honour has been trod upon. Die free and with your head held up high rather than live to be humiliated." This is for a constant call that the nation would revolt against the traitors within it and against those who take advantage of it or stand in its way of gaining its liberation and its complete rights.

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