A Peek into Others' mind » August 23, 2008

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August 24, 2008
7:40
Francis Fukuyama: The return of history? Not ...
» ‎ War and Piece

Francis Fukuyama: The return of history? Not so fast. "Despite recent authoritarian advances, liberal democracy remains the strongest, most broadly appealing idea out there. Most autocrats, including Putin and Chávez, still feel that they have to conform to the outward...
7:22
Guns for those on terror watch list? ...
» ‎ War and Piece

Guns for those on terror watch list? Newsweek's Mark Hosenball: "Sen. John McCain portrays himself as a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights. But does that extend to gun rights for suspected terrorists? His campaign won't say where he stands...
6:46
Haaretz:Earlier this month the U.S. and Israel ...
» ‎ War and Piece

Haaretz:Earlier this month the U.S. and Israel agreed on the deployment of a high-powered early-warning missile radar system in the Negev, to be staffed by U.S. military personnel. The station will receive information from the U.S. team in Europe that...

6:06
Livni's new ally?
» ‎ Israel Matzav

The Kadima Achora party, which is currently Israel's 'ruling' party, proposes to link itself to the Yedinaya Rossiya (United Russia) Party of Vladimir Putin. The person in Kadima who is pushing for the link is apparently none other than Foreign Minister 'Tzipora' Livni, who is currently the front-runner in Kadima's primary campaign. Her courting of Putin's repressive party has upset people

4:55
Obama Memorabilia
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

LGF reader “Megulator” was vacationing in Maine and came upon a “living history museum” that contained a historic post office building. Inside was a cache of FBI wanted posters from 1971, the date the post office officially closed. Among these old documents: the original FBI Most Wanted poster for Barack Obama associate Bernardine Dohrn. (Click for a larger version.)

2:06
It was all a public relations stunt
» ‎ Israel Matzav

Gazans expressed disappointment this evening after Israel allowed two boats full of 'left-wing activists' to reach the shore near Gaza City and the boats had more people than supplies. What the Gazans fail to understand is that, as usual, this is about 'the cause' (of destroying Israel) and not about improving their lives. That's why the 'Palestinians' are still 'refugees' sixty years after the
1:42
Paul McCartney to play in Israel
» ‎ Israel Matzav

Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney is scheduled to play a concert in Tel Aviv on September 25, 43 years after the Beatles were banned here as potentially harmful to children's morals. How times change.... The celebrated rock star will arrive in Israel as part of a world tour, and will give a single concert at Hayarkon Park on September 25. McCartney was scheduled to perform in Israel some 43 years ago
1:04
Biden is soft on Iran
» ‎ Israel Matzav

Shavua tov - a good week to everyone. Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Hussein Obama has chosen his running mate and it's Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, a Washington 'insider.' Haaretz has an analysis on Biden that includes the following: Biden is a firm supporter of Israel, but the way he sees the U.S.'s role in the Middle East doesn't necessarily reflect Jerusalem's ideal of the ideal

0:19
MJ: Operation Squelch Congressional ...
» ‎ War and Piece

MJ: Operation Squelch Congressional Investigation....

0:00
Iran will pour missiles on Israel, if hit: Hezbollah
» ‎ Alarabiya.net English | Middle East

Israel will be targeted by thousands of rockets if it attacks Iran, a senior official in the Tehran-backed group Hezbollah said on Sunday. There has been speculation that either the United States or Israel could attack Iran's nuclear facilities, although both have said force should be a last
0:00
Arab League chief hails 'daring' Gaza activists
» ‎ Alarabiya.net English | Middle East

Arab League chief Amr Moussa on Sunday hailed the "daring step" taken by pro-Palestinian activists whose boats docked in the Gaza Strip despite a tight Israeli blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory. "The act of protest against the Gaza blockade and the solidarity shown by these
0:00
Syria names ambassador to France
» ‎ Alarabiya.net English | Middle East

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has named Lamia Shakkour as ambassador to France after months of the post being vacant, the official SANA news agency said on Sunday. Shakkour was sworn in on Sunday before Assad, the news agency added. "President Assad wished Mrs. Shakkour success in her

August 23, 2008
23:52
Cable
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

23:48
Five killed in Iraq suicide attack
» ‎ AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (MIDDLE EAST)

The attack targeted a leader of a group fighting Al-Qaeda in the town of Khalis.

22:20
Biden Bloviates
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

Barack Obama just announced Joe Biden, and he’s taking the stage in Springfield for his first speech as veep, to the strains of Bruce Springsteen. Talk amongst yourselves.

22:08
Hey Jude(n)
» ‎ Israellycool

He was. The he wasn’t. Now he is again.

Read here to see what the heck I am talking about.

ShareThis

21:38
Russia Stages Substantial Withdrawal
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

The Russian military has withdrawn a large part of its occupying forces in Georgia, in an apparent step back from the brink of a wider conflict.

GORI, Georgia, Aug. 22 — Russia pulled troops and armored vehicles out of vast swaths of seized territory and ended its 10-day occupation of this Georgian city Friday, but Georgian and foreign officials disputed Russia’s claim that it had complied with the terms of a recent cease-fire agreement.

Columns of Russian trucks, tanks and artillery pieces rumbled north throughout the day toward the breakaway territories whose disputed status sparked the current crisis. Just before leaving Gori at 8 p.m., Russian forces detonated giant explosions on various Georgian armories and military installations that spewed flames and black smoke into the sky.

The Russian withdrawal was a major step toward ending the slow-burning conflict that ignited into full-scale war Aug. 7 when the Georgian army invaded South Ossetia. Russian forces responded swiftly and sharply, seizing as much as a third of Georgian land.

19:56
Democracy Now: “Free Gaza” Boats Set Sail from Cyprus to Break Israeli Blockade
» ‎ PalCast

Two converted fishing boats set sail from Cyprus today carrying more than forty activists and humanitarian workers who are part of the Free Gaza movement that is trying to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip. The Israeli foreign ministry said in an open letter to the participants, “We assume that your intentions are good but, in fact, the result of your action is that you are supporting the regime of a terrorist organization in Gaza.” We speak with three of the activists at sea: Huwaida Arraf, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement; Lauren Booth, a journalist and sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; and Israeli anthropology professor Jeff Halper of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.

This program was produced by Democracy Now! for August 22, 2008.

For more information, visit:
democracynow.org
freegaza.org
icahdusa.org

18:52
Associated Press: Biden 'Talks Too Much'
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

Bitter disappointment just drips from Associated Press writer Ron Fournier’s piece: Analysis: Biden pick shows lack of confidence.

DENVER - The candidate of change went with the status quo.

In picking Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate, Barack Obama sought to shore up his weakness — inexperience in office and on foreign policy — rather than underscore his strength as a new-generation candidate defying political conventions.

He picked a 35-year veteran of the Senate — the ultimate insider — rather than a candidate from outside Washington ...

So the question is whether Biden’s depth counters Obama’s inexperience — or highlights it?

After all, Biden is anything but a change agent, having been in office longer than half of all Americans have been alive. Longer than McCain.

And he talks too much.

18:30
Activist boats reach Gaza Strip
» ‎ BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Two boats carrying members of a pro-Palestinian group trying to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip reach the territory.

18:04
New McCain Ad on Joe Biden
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

This didn’t take long; the McCain campaign must have been ready with this video.
[Video]
17:51
Obama's Angry Veep
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

The McCain campaign couldn’t have asked for a more angry, arrogant Democrat as Obama’s VP: Breaking: Obama selects Joe Biden as his VP running mate.

So the recent events in Georgia involving Russian troops sent shock waves all the way down Chicago’s Michigan Avenue to Obama headquarters. He decided to call in one of the Senate’s top foreign policy experts to counter another of the Senate’s top foreign policy experts.

Sen. Barack Obama, the Democrats’ about-to-be presidential nominee, has chosen a fellow senator, Joe Biden of Delaware, as his about-to-be running mate for the Nov. 4 general election.

Two high-ranking Democratic Party officials have confirmed the choice of the veteran to The Times. Republican reaction is included at the end of this item.

16:35
مدونة علوش: علوش
» ‎ Syria Planet

لم أتوقع أبداً أن تدوم هذه الحالة من الفراغ كلّ هذه المدة، هل كل المتخرجين عانوا من هذا؟!. أشعر أن توقفي عن الكتابة زاد من كمّ هذه الضغوط وشدتها، أعتقد أنه فعلاً بالكتابة يتحرر الانسان.

خلال هذا الشهر سافرت إلى أقربائي في دمشق، تحديداً في قطنا وهي تقع ضمن ريف دمشق، منطقة متواضعة بسيطة ذات جو رائع، يحيط بها جبل صغير، وهو من النادر مشاهدته في حلب.

دمشق كانت رائعة، أحببت الطبيعة العالمية فيها، كما يمكنك مشاهدة جميع السوريين تقريباً في دمشق، التقيت بحماصنة وحلبية وديرية، المضحك عندما هممت بالنزول من الباص عند منطقة تدعى “الجمارك” وعلى نصيحة خالي أن أسأل أي انسان أصادفه هناك فيدلني مباشرة على مكتبة الأسد، وصلت إلى الباب المقابل لكلية الهندسة المدنية على ما أذكر، وسألت شاباً يبدو عليه أن خبير بالمنطقة، وإذ به حلبي !!، ابتسمت ورددت عليه: صرنا تنين، تابعت المسير وقررت سؤال رجل كبير العمر وإذ بالآخر حلبي، أي صدفة هذه !!، نهاية سألت شرطي المرور وقد دلني بالتفصيل الممل.

لم تعجبني فكرة المعرض ضمن المنطقة المحيطة بالمكتبة، ظننت أنه سيكون ضمن قاعات مخصصة ضمن المكتبة نفسها، المهم المعرض كان ضخم حقاً ويضم العديد من الدور التي كانت تحتاج الكثير من الوقت لمتابعتها ولم يكفي يوم واحد.

الغريب أنني لم أشتري أيّ كتاب !!.

اشتريت حاسب محمول من آيسر بمواصفات جيدة جداً مقارنة مع سعره، المشكلة أن الشركة الحقيرة قامت بتوفير برامج تعريف خاصة بويندوز فيستا فقط، وليس اكس بي، هذا عدا أن الجهاز نفسه لا يدعم ويندوز اكس بي، بسبب أن قرصه الصلب يعتمد تقنية لا يدركها ويندوز اكس بي، وهي RAID CONTROLLER ولهذا تحتاج إلى تضمين قرص التنصيب هذه التعريفات بطريقة تضطر فيها إلى انتاج نسخة تنصيب خاصة بك، المهم قليلاً من البحث في غوغل ووصلت إلى صفحة رائعة تشرح بالتفصيل الممل كيف تقوم بتنصيب ويندوز اكس بي على حاسب آيسر مع جميع التعريفات.

أخيراً والحق يقال، الحاسب المحمول عالم آخر، شعرت بالغرابة لعدم سماعي صوت المرواح الطنانة بعد الآن !!، كما أنني أستمتع به في أي غرفة وفي أي مكان، أليس حاسب محمول؟!. أعتقد أنه كان صفقة موفقة بالنسبة لي.

بعد غد امتحان اللغة الانكليزية لمفاضلة الماجيستير، المفروض أن أتجاوز هذه العقبة بسهولة، لكن المصيبة في المفاضلة، فعلى هوا معدلي يبدو أن قسمي هو القسم المجنون بالمعدلات، لدينا معدلات تصل إلى 94%، ومعدلي 74%، يعني 94% يا جماعة والله شيء خارق، المفروض أن يكون صاحب هذا المعدل آدم سميث سوريا، خلص انبسطوا، على هوا معدلات العلوم المالية والمصرفية انحلت كل مشاكل الاقتصاد.

رمضان قادم، مع هذه الحرارة، سيكون أول رمضان لي في أيلول، منذ ولدت أذكر أن رمضان يأتي في الشتاء، رمضان بدون السجاد وبدون حرارة المدفأة؟!. آه صحيح الزحمة، الله يعين أهل دمشق على الزحمة، والله يعنيننا على الزحمة في رمضان.

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16:35
مُسَبّع الكارات: maysharun
» ‎ Syria Planet

سألني أحدهم هل تفتح النت و تتابع الأخبار ، قلت و هل تسمّي هذا أنترنت ، هذا أشبه ما يكون بجدار الفصل العنصري الذي وضعته إسرائيل ، فكما أنّ هناك لا يحق لهم الدخول إلا من الأبواب المشروعة و المحكمة ، كذلك الأمر عندنا لا يحق لك الدخول إلا إلى المواقع التي يرونها هم مناسبة ، سياسة الحجب تطالنا من الداخل والخارج و المغضوب على أمره هو المواطن السوري .
إقرأ هذان الخبرين .
ترويض الأنترنت في سوريا
الولايات المتحدة تضيق الخناق على مواقع الانترنت السورية
لا أعلم لماذا لم تدرج الروابط تحت هذه العناوين ، لذا سأضع الروابط هنا و لكن عليك باستخدام البروكسي في الرابط الأول إن كنت من سوريا .

[www.syriahr.com]

[www.syria-news.com]

و دمتم بخير .

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16:35
Ahmad Edilbi's Blog: Ahmad N Edilbi
» ‎ Syria Planet

نتيجة لاحترامها معايير الجودة في انتاج الأفلام ، والفكر الإبداعي المتجدد والطريف .. لن استغرب اعجابي بشركة والت ديزني Walt Disneyالمستمر والذي يزداد يوماً بعد يوم.. حيث يعود فضل نجاحها للمؤسس والت ديزني سنة 1923، وهي تعد الآن أكبر الشركات الامريكية وأشهرها عالميا في مجال التسلية وانتاج الرسوم المتحركة. رجاءً لاتأخذوا تدوينتي على أنها ترويج للشركة المذكورة [...]
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16:35
أحمد نذير بكداش: هل تعلمت المساجد من الكنائس ؟
» ‎ Syria Planet

لحظة يا أخي لا تتعصب أقرأ وأفهم وجهه نظري أولاً.. ما سأتكلم عنه هو الحياه الاجتماعية داخل الكنائس والمساجد وبالخصوص في مصر, “ أكرر الحياه الاجتماعية وليس الحياه الدينية” ,أيضا يجب أن تعلم أنني أتكلم عن هذه الفترة وليس فترة الصحابة والرسول (ص).. …………………….. داخل الجامع: يوم الجمعة يذهب المسلمون للصلاه… بعضهم قبل الآذان بنصف ساعة والبعض بربع ساعة ونسبة [...]
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16:35
Global Voices Online » Syria: Algeria: Focus on Russo-Syrian Relations
» ‎ Syria Planet

The Moor Next Door, from Algeria, discusses Russo-Syrian relations in this post.

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16:35
Maysaloon - ميسلون: On Georgia
» ‎ Syria Planet

The "six day war" in which Georgia was overwhelmed by Russian troops has triggered the most interesting, if not predictable, chain of events. A Georgia intoxicated by the West thought that it could reassert control over it's breakaway province but instead woke up the Russian bear from a deep hibernation. Or was it hibernating? The sheer scale of the Russian response was executed like a master chess player who bid her time before delivering the final blow and forcing their opponent into checkmate. At the time, I watched with some amusement as the Georgian president switched to rhetoric about values and the West. He sounded a lot like the leaders of the March 14th movement who, like Mr Saakashvili, had allowed themselves to be deluded by the West. These figures all now appear more like desperate sailors clinging onto bits of wreckage and flotsam after the storm.Hassan Nasrallah had already mocked Israel with this, apparently the person responsible for training Georgian commandos was none other than the General who had also been responsible for Israeli troops in the South of Lebanon during the 2006 war. I'm particularly surprised with Syria's moves in support of Russia. Recently, I was getting extremely worried about Syria's warming relations with the West and talk of some peace process, but it's support of Russia (Georgian armed forces were apparently trained by Israel) puts it in a position directly opposed to America and Israel. The Independent reports that:

President Bashar al-Assad had flirted with the West of late and was a guest of honour at France's Bastille Day parade last month. Before the Georgia war, the West had high hopes of prising him away from Syria's key ally Iran, which the US accuses of supporting Islamic militants.
Those hopes were dashed when Mr Assad discussed an arms deal with President Dmitry Medvedev. A diplomatic source in Moscow said the leaders were preparing deals involving anti-aircraft and anti-tank missile systems.
meaning that the resistance option (read here self preservation for the regime) is still open and that there is slim chance of an Israeli flag flying over a building in Damascus any time soon. The irony of all of this situation is that many people still do not comprehend that the United States is not a powerful country anymore. It has not been for a very long time and in almost every situation where we might have believed that a country had gone firmly into the Western orbit we find that, in fact, this was a misguided view to have. Lebanon was a perfect example of this scenario. In the end it took only 6 hours for the entirety of Beirut to be scrubbed clean of the Future militia's thugs. Jumblatt himself, the political barometer of Lebanon, is now railing against the United States whilst Sanioora, mini-Hariri and Geagea have been extremely quiet lately. In Gaza the same situation appeared to be happening as the ring got tightened around the Hamas government. Again, within a day Muhammad Dahlan's Fatah men were routed and expelled. Trained by Egypt and Jordan, both vassal states of America, they were unable to hold their ground and, just like the Israeli and American trained Georgian troops, collapsed quickly. In all these examples, it was the continued provocation of the pro-Western side which brought about the swift responses. It's a bit like having an unruly child who keeps testing the boundaries. The more they push the more arrogant and unruly they become. Finally the point is reached when they have nobody to blame but themselves when the inevitable punishment is delivered. Like the West's allies in Lebanon and Gaza, and like Israel did in 2006, Georgia has had to learn the hard way.

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16:35
Maysaloon - ميسلون: Syrian existentialism
» ‎ Syria Planet

Imagine a natural disaster has struck a country. This disaster is subsequently blamed on the scientists by the public and the mob quickly exiles, imprisons or hangs any of these that it could find. Subsequently, the government decides to ban the education of science and all texts are torn or burnt. Many years later, a more enlightened set of rulers decides to reinstate the education of science and gather all the remaining scraps of text on the subject. These are all lumped together and presented to people as 'science' and learning, for them to discuss and investigate. What we get is people who are presented with scientific truths but with no way of ascertaining it's accuracy. They are oblivious to true scientific method and are ignorant about how to move forward. In addition, they think they are talking about science but in reality it bears no relation to true science. So these people are faced with something they can no longer comprehend and are only scraping an awareness of it in the dark. They are blind and lost. If you substitute science for morality and the setting becomes the Syria we know today, we find that the example still holds. In Syria today, no one premise about morality or justice can be agreed upon by all, meaning any discussion about morality, and in fact any pretense about morality, is completely useless.

In a society where you are unable to rationally discuss what morality is because the two sides have completely different premises, the recourse becomes either bullying or enticing the other into accepting your view, verbally, or by pleading to their emotions. If you don't like something you protest and express indignation, that is enough, for you can never win an argument nor can you lose one. This emotivism, where you appeal to peoples emotions rather than try to convince them rationally to do what is right, is the poor substitute to morality that so many of the Syrian middle and upper classes have internalised. The liberal idea of an "individual" with rights from the government becomes portrayed as the challenge to the stagnant and incompetent authorities. In a society such as Syria's, the interpretation of the good is now down to each and every individual to articulate which means we will constantly be at odds with one another. From the French occupation to the 'Correctional' movement, Syria's overall conception of the good has been slowly removed from the public sphere and confined to the private, to the individual, and this has been driven largely by the secularised 'elites' who have imposed foreign political realities on an Arab and largely Muslim people. Since nobody can agree on anything, people become viewed as a means to your own end, which you now articulate as 'the good'. Society becomes one big competition where everybody is out to get you and you must look after your own interests whilst politics becomes nothing more than another form of Civil War.

As such, morality is now nothing more than whatever suits your own interests and in fact society commends you on 'adaptability' as a child should you find it prudent to lie or steal. In such a society, those who are able to succeed the most, by that societies standards, become those who are able to rule and they in turn find this state of affairs to be most suitable for them, since it would not be in their interest for a country to have a unified vision of the good. Society and it's philosophy spill over into the realm of politics and the peoples emotivism is expressed politically as Liberalism. There are now many educated Syrians who think it is a badge of honour to call their political views "Liberal" and even economically, many people are accepting Syria's gradual liberalisation as the only way forward for prosperity and for helping to achieve what they think is the good. Already, large portions of Syria's population are condemned to misery and poverty whilst others find it possible to purchase jeans for $900 and have a 250SP coffee in a trendy Costa Coffee whilst surfing the net on their laptops. This economic system helps to bring out the worst in what is already rotten about political liberalism and is helping the rich get richer. For a society which thinks it's goods can only be obtained by the material, the government is only too happy to oblige and eventually, issues such as Palestine or Iraq are sacrificed on the sacred altar of Syria's 'interests'. The public cheer on with joy.

In all this mess, we hear people lamenting the death of a sense of nationalism and pride in Syria, which begs the question how at all possible this is in such an environment? If Syrians can no longer articulate and agree upon what makes a life "good" and what constitutes morality, how can they possibly agree on the way forward with regards to helping in the liberation of Iraq or Palestine? Yet we are presented with, and expected to believe, a jingoistic, sham nationalism for a state which now, thanks to the increasing liberalisation of the economy and society, is run by businessmen and seems to have more in common with a corporation than a national government.The state now requires you to sign in triplicate on any of the necessary forms and also die for it on occasion. This is the situation we find ourselves in today, not just in Syria, but across the world, a postmodern fantasy land where morality has been killed. We now give "the good" pejorative titles which make it unappealing whilst the immoral, the wicked and the ugly are presented to us as admirable and sought after. In acquiring these we become 'daring' in the face of society or entrepreneurial when we put profits ahead of principle. The philosophy of liberalism and the penetration of capitalism into our country offers Syrians only one thing, a life with no purpose where the strong devour the weak.

The main theme for this post is based on a thought experiment and book by a philosopher called Alisdair MacIntyre. I came across MacIntyre's 'After Virtue' book online and by complete coincidence and after reading this comprehensive article about the man's political philosophy I just had to purchase it. I won't go into very much detail as you can read it yourself, but I became particularly excited when I started to compare what this man was saying with what I see happening in Syria. We know there is something wrong happening there, as is the case with much of the world (Hint: It got a lot worse after 1991) but for somebody to put their finger on the pulse so accurately is rare. Learning is done not only by the constant accumulation of new information but by the evaluation and reorganisation of existing information into something meaningful and insightful. I saw much which was familiar in what he said but it is the way he presented it in a coherent account which intrigued me and drove me to write this post.
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16:35
OkBaH - متابعات عقبة: الجزيرة الوثائقية تستعد لرمضان ببرامج جديدة
» ‎ Syria Planet

تستعد قناة الجزيرة الوثائقية لرمضان بطريقتها الخاصة حيث لاحظ المتابعون لها عدة إعلانات تخللت برامجها وأفلامها حول إصدارات جديدة خاصة بشهر رمضان المبارك منها على سبيل المثال (أطعمة رمضان) و برنامج يومي حول المدن الإسلامية في رمضان وبرنامج (روح رمضان الساحرة) وغيرها من البرامج الأخرى وكل ذلك تحت شعار (كن مستعداً).. وقد قدمت الجزيرة الوثائقية في [...]
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16:35
Syria Comment: New Cold War or Merely Jockeying for Position? What Does Syria Want?
» ‎ Syria Planet

[Landis analysis]

The Russian move into Georgia has begun a tectonic shift in the region. It has emboldened Syria, Hizbullah and Iran to push harder against Israel and the US in an attempt to capitalize on recent set backs in the Balkans, Lebanon, and Afghanistan.

Hizbullah's and the Lebanese opposition's success in rolling back the influence of the March 14 coalition in Lebanon has emboldened Syria to push its advantage.

The peace talks with Israel, which Syria is counting on, have stalled due to US opposition and Israel's conviction that Syria is asking too high a price for the Golan. The notion that Syria is weak and unable to deliver a shift in the regional security balance has led to its isolation over the last 6 years and to the failure of peace talks under president Clinton. An Obama advisor, Daniel Kurtzer, has recently asked Syria to make deeper concessions to Israel in order to move the talks to another level. The implicit threat in such advice is that the Obama team of policy makers will follow the Bush administration in shunning the Syria-Israel negotiation track, unless Syria is forthcoming. In short, the democrats agree with Israel that Syria is too weak and demanding too high a price from Israel. Israel recently acquired new promises from Washington for technology transfers and missile improvements that improve Israel's defense posture. This has emboldened it to demand deep Syrian concessions in the peace negotiations. (see Ahram article below)

Syria's bad negotiating position is leading it to look for more weapons and to try to grow more teeth before returning to the table with Israel. Both Assad and Hizbullah are hoping to get new weapons systems from Russia and greater diplomatic backing. Israel cannot afford to sit idly by as Syria and Hizbullah flex their muscles. They are raising the military bar themselves, suggesting that they are not frightened to use force and next time they strike, it will be much more devastating and effective than it was in 2006. If Syria can up the ante, so can Israel. Yesterday, Israel threatened that if it bombs again, Lebanon will be smashed in its entirety - the North and Beirut will not be spared. It is in this context that Hizbullah threatens today that "Israel will no longer exist on the map," when it strikes back.

This is a new war of words. For the time being the diplomatic jockeying is tactical and not a game changer. All eyes remain on the peace process. Nevertheless, the increasingly bellicose rhetoric is not propicious for peace. We will have to see if all sides can climb down from their new and hardened stands to make compromises that will lead to a peace deal. There is little chance of the peace process advancing during the next year of elections and reorganization in the US. In the mean time, both Israel and Syria will be elbowing each other.

[end of analysis]

News Round Up:

Under Moscow's wing
Events in Georgia have had some surprising repercussions in the Middle East, leaving Syria looking perkier than usual
James Denselow, Guardian
Friday August 22 2008

Israel's involvement with the Georgian military has been somewhat overlooked in light of more blatant US support, such as the airlift of some 2,000 Georgian troops from Iraq at the start of the conflict. However Misha Glenny spotted it, writing in the New Statesman that Prime Minister Putin warned President Shimon Peres to "pull out your trainers and weapons or we will escalate our co-operation with Syria and Iran" – after which Israel dutifully complied.

Hizbullah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah also spotted it and subsequently mocked Israel's withdrawal, claiming that "the entire front line of the [Israeli] army's brass stepped down because of the [Lebanon] war. Gal Hirsch, who was defeated in Lebanon, went to Georgia and they too lost because of him."

The Russians are indeed emboldened by their sweeping victory which has highlighted the impotence of both the US and Nato. Jonathan Spyer, in the Jerusalem Post, described Russian action as throwing down "a direct challenge to the US-dominated post Cold-war international order" and expressed concern over Moscow's willingness to supply Syria with the S-300 long-range anti-aircraft missile system, a defensive measure that has the potential to impede Israeli airstrikes such as the one that targeted a suspected Syrian nuclear site last September.

Then the BBC reported yesterday that Syria's President Assad met with President Medvedev at the Black Sea resort of Sochi to discuss "deals on anti-aircraft and anti-tank missile systems".

Like any customer visiting his main arms dealer, Assad praised Russian actions in Georgia, explaining that "we understand the Russian stance and the Russian military response as a result of the provocations which took place. We appreciate the courageous decision taken by the Russian leadership in responding to the international initiatives and the start of withdrawing its forces".

Assad also signalled his willingness to have Russian Iskander missiles (which according to GlobalSecurity.org are capable of overcoming the enemy's anti-missile defences and hitting targets at a distance of 280 kilometers) situated on Syrian territory, although he refused to commit to any timeline for such a deployment.

The Syrians have survived six years of Isolation led by Washington and Tel Aviv following 9/11, an isolation that has only shown recent signs of ending. If a small country like Syria can survive years of western isolation then the Russian bear empowered with petrodollars and a stable, if undemocratic, leadership, will surely feel more confident in throwing its foreign policy weight around.

The Times reported that Russia's activism, particularly in arms dealing, was sparking fears of a Middle East "Cold War". …. (read the rest)

U.S. to Syria: Do not meddle in Russia-Georgia conflict

Senior U.S. officials severely criticized Syria on Thursday after Syrian President Bashar Assad voiced his country's support of Russia in its military conflict with Georgia, saying that Syria should keep out of issues that don't pertain to them.

The officials suggested that Syria refrain from meddling in the affairs of other nations, "such as Georgia," Channel 10 reported Thursday. They added that Syria should remain focused on its own problems in the Middle East and keep trying to achieve peace in the region.

Israel threatens to target 'entire Lebanese state' in next war (AFP)

Hizbullah Responds:

Hizbullah to Israel: Expect Huge Surprises Soon

Hizbullah threatened "earth shattering" retaliation against Israel which the group accuses of killing its top commander Imad Mughniyeh in a car bombing in Damascus last February.

"Retaliation is coming soon," Hizbullah official in south Lebanon Sheikh Ahmad Mrad said in remarks published by the daily Al Akhbar on Friday. "Retaliation is going to be earth shattering and there will be huge surprises," he vowed. "Resistance weapons will stay in the hands of Hizbullah until Palestine is liberated," Mrad pledged. He declared that Hizbullah would go deep into Palestine and vowed that "Israel will no longer exist on the map."

In Haaretz, here (Thanks to Friday Lunch Club)

"…Earlier Thursday, Assad backed Russia's military action against Georgia at talks with President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday

…According to Russian media, Assad offered to host the Russian missiles as a response to a deal signed by Washington and Warsaw this week to deploy elements of a U.S. missile defense system in Poland, which has aggravated Moscow's relations with the West. Assad's visit is likely to become an additional irritant for Washington. In the past, the United States has more than once warned Moscow against selling arms to its longstanding ally Syria….."
Syria denies arms mission Jason Koutsoukis in Damascus
August 23, 2008
THE visit to Moscow by the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, has received saturation coverage in Syria, with the media reporting the trip as a move to strengthen already close relations between the nations.
Israeli media described Mr Assad's two-day visit to Moscow as a "weapons shopping trip", but the Syrian Government broadcaster carried a statement yesterday morning angrily denying the reports.

Israeli and Russian media reported yesterday that he had offered to host Russian Iskander missiles on Syrian territory.

The reports said Mr Assad had made the offer in response to a deal signed by Washington and Poland this week to deploy elements of a US missile defence system in Poland. The Syrian statement, shown on Damascus television last night, said the reports were groundless.

Syria's Al-Watan newspaper, a self-described independent political broadsheet, reported that Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, had told Mr Assad that Russia was ready to help Syria build a defensive shield. But it said Mr Lavrov had not indicated that Russia was willing to supply Syria with weapons that could be used to attack another country.

"We are indeed prepared to sell only defensive weapons which do not violate the regional balance of power," Mr Lavrov was quoted as saying.

Russia's acting ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Yurkov, was even more direct.

"Why in the world would we need to deploy our missiles [in Syria]? Against whom? We have no enemies in the region," he told the Israeli news site Ynet.

Al-Thawra, the official newspaper of the ruling Ba'ath party, carried a front-page headline trumpeting Mr Assad's visit. It reported that President Dmitry Medvedev had emphasised Russia's warm friendship with Syria, and pledged to help Syria regain control of the Golan Heights, seized by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Israel's US missile shield
Aug. 21, 2008, al-Ahram
While Israel appears the beneficiary of US interests in the Middle East region, its place is ultimately as one pillar under a US strategic umbrella, writes Galal Nassar

During his visit to the US last month, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak announced that Washington would soon link Israel to two advanced missile detection systems that would strengthen Israel's preparedness against any Iranian threat. Following his meeting with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Barak also announced that Israel and the US were at an advanced stage in talks on upgrading Israel's Arrow-II ballistic shield, though they disagreed over whether it should incorporate an American interceptor missile. He told reporters that Washington would also increase Israel's access to its Defence Support Programme (DPS) satellites that can detect missile launches, adding that the US and Israeli governments "see eye to eye on the need to keep all options on the table, though we may not agree on each and every detail. It's important the Americans understand our position, and I think that they understand it a lot better after this visit."

Click to view caption

Missiles

The Pentagon has also agreed to install a powerful radar system in Israel in the coming months. Israeli officials described the system as capable of tracking an object the size of a baseball from about 4,700 kilometres away; it would enable Arrow to engage an Iranian Shehab-3 ballistic missile about halfway through what would be its 11 minute flight to Israel.

According to Al-Ahram Weekly sources, after heavy pressure on the part of the Israeli defence minister, Washington agreed to include Israel in the US global satellite defence system, capable of spotting missile launches on a constant rather than per-request basis. They also said that Israel has been seeking assurances of logistical support from Washington in the event that the Israeli army is forced to launch an assault. In addition, Washington will help finance and upgrade the Iron Dome antiballistic shield, which will strengthen Israel's protection against Qassam missiles, and it will also finance a new phase in the Arrow project. The new Arrow III antiballistic system would be capable of shooting down missiles at greater atmospheric heights. Informed sources told the Weekly that all these secret talks, arrangements and agreements ultimately aim to include Israel in the American missile shield. …. (read the rest)

Sami Moubayed writes: "Overall, however, the crisis is playing nicely into the hands of Syria, which is using it to strengthen its ties with an old and resurrected friend, send messages to a traditional foe (Israel, and pressure the United States into changing course over Damascus.

Although the "great red army that defeated Hitler" was never a match for the American one that ended World War II and helped bring down the Soviet Union, it was always an influential player in the complex web of Middle East politics, and seemingly signals one thing: the Russians are back, and the Syrians are making the best out of it.

Lysander wrote in the last comment section:

I want to address some points by AIG et al regarding the notion that a new cold war would benefit Israel more than Syria.

A true cold war scenario (if one were to actually happen) is of no benefit to Israel at all. Its influence over American politics has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 10 years in the absence of any Russian threat and being able to say its ‘protecting’ the west from mighty Syria is unlikely to add to that.

By contrast, the realist camp will argue that to persuade Syria…and Iran…to leave the Russian camp concessions will have to be made. Such concessions are hardly necessary if Syria is alone. But in a global competition Syria has options. I would not dismiss this effect. I doubt Sadat could have possibly gotten the Camp David deal were it not for America’s desire to place Egypt firmly in the American camp. Does anyone disagree? Zbig Brzerzinski was NSA in Carter’s tie. He is Obama’s advisor now.

AIG is correct that Western tech and trade would be much better for Syria. Alas, that option doesn’t exist. Until recently, Syria had a large target sign on its head and can count itself lucky America was too distracted in Iraq. So Assad’s choices are Russian help or nothing. Russian tech is definitely better than nothing. Otherwise, nobody in Israel would care about Russian rearmament of Syria and yet they clearly do.

Outside of Syria, it presents new found leverage to America’s “moderate” allies (Egypt, Saudi Arabia)

Again I would add that cold war is hardly inevitable. The Russians would love to cooperate with the west. They have no wish to aquire a Syrian dependent. But with any push to get Georgia in NATO and insistence on the missile shield, Russia will find a way to retaliate.

P.S. I would add that the same is triply true for Iran. Also, Assad may very well have miscalculated, not by picking the wrong horse. But by discovering the horse wont let him ride. Russia may very well rebuff Syria’s request for closer relations, which means Assad will have annoyed the west but gotten nothing in return.

Still, no reward without risk and if the missile shield in Poland moves forward its not a bad risk.

View Original
16:35
المـــرفـأ: المعارضة السورية…خروجٌ من الصفر أم عودة إليه؟!
» ‎ Syria Planet

بقلم: د. نصر حسن
أخبار الشرق

يطغى على مشهد المعارضة السورية الحالي قسمات أزمة لاتقل سوءاً وخطراً عن أزمة النظام، أزمة أنتجتها أطرافها المختلفة مقسومة على عوامل داخلية وخارجية، أكثرها تأثيراً هي تركيبتها الأهلية وغياب البرامج ومعها الحد الأدنى من معايير العمل الديمقراطي المؤسسي وجغرافية سورية السياسية، مضروبة بأعاصير المنطقة وبراكينها ومعامل قمع النظام الفردي طبعاً لكونه محور دورانها ومرجل حريقها، أزمة مركبة تمثل حصيلة تراكم سلسلة من التناقضات والإخفاقات والاصطفافات بين بنى وعقليات وآليات موروثة من فوضى الماضي، هذا المشهد يحدد عملياً حالة انسداد الأفق التنظيمي والسياسي والاجتماعي والحقوقي، ناهيك عن القدرة على تحقيق التغيير الوطني الديمقراطي السلمي أياً كان شكله ووتيرته! بصراحة إن وضعها الحالي يعكس الشيخوخة والتردي في البنى الفكرية والتنظيمية والسياسية لها.

هي في أزمة مهجورة، تركن على رفوف أطرافها المتوازية وتحاصرها فيها، أزمة لم تستطع أن” تملص ” منها عملياً لأنها محكومة برموز وبرامج الماضي وعقليته وآلية عمله ومناهجه المتخشبة والدائرة بوهن حول الذات ومصالحها، مفترقة ولا مبالية بمصالح الشعب والظروف والتناقضات التي يعيشها في ظل نظام فردي استئصالي هو الأبشع في تاريخ النظم الشمولية في العصر الحديث، نظام أمم الشعب والثروة والقدرات واستخدمها بخسة لصالح بناء فردي ديكتاتوري لا يأخذ بالحسبان احترام كرامة الشعب ولا أدنى حقوقه وأمنه ومصالحه، ومستأثراً بالبلاد والعباد والفعل السياسي والثقافي والاقتصادي والاجتماعي لعقود، أفرز بمحصلته هذا الخواء العام لدى أطراف المعارضة، خواء أشبه بعقم أفقدها الدماء الشابة الجديدة التي هي المحرك الاجتماعي والسياسي في المجتمع، فشاخت أطرافها وسكنت إلى الماضي، قطع سباتها تطور الأحداث الداخلية والاقليمية والدولية، نشطت لكن بتكرارية تعيد إنتاج نفسها واستنساخ دورها، واستمرت ترفع نفس الشعارات ونفس أشباه البرامج في ظروف مختلفة داخلياً وخارجياً، فانعزلت كلياً عن مسار الأحداث وواقع الشعب والنظام معاً، وركنت إلى مسايرة الأمر بالشعارات والخطابات الانشائية التي لا تقدم ولا تؤخر بل تزيد درجة عطالتها وأزمتها عمقاً واتساعاً.

والحال كذلك، ليس خافياً على أحد أن طبيعة بنية أطراف المعارضة هي عمق تخلفها وإخفاقها، وعلى وقع الصدمات الخطيرة في المنطقة في السنوات القليلة الماضية، لملمت اضطرابها وجمعت ركامها على مضض وعجل بإطارين معزولين، الأول إعلان دمشق في الداخل، والثاني جبهة الخلاص في الخارج، كلا الإطارين انكمش فعلهما بسرعة قياسية، الأول بفعل سياسة النظام وآلته الأمنية القمعية التي أجهضدت بوادر ولادة عمل معارض ديمقراطي تعددي في الداخل، والثاني لجملة من التراكمات الماضية والحاضرة أوصلتها إلى طريق شبه مسدود، ولم تتمكن المعارضة من مواكبة ما يدور في الواقع السوري وما يجري من تطورات دراماتيكية في محيطه، لأنها خضعت بفعل بنيتها وبرامجها إلى الرتابة والسكون والقبول بلا حول ولا قوة لها على النظام دون سند خارجي تحاول أطرافها على انفراد الامساك به متعثرةً ولم تصطاده بعد، حال ذلك دون قدرتها على اشتقاق خطاب سياسي موضوعي عملي في حوارها مع الداخل والخارج، وبالتالي استنفذت جهودها في إعادة إنتاج نفسها، ومراوحتها بحالة التمويه على فشلها في إحداث ولو اختراق بسيط في سياسة النظام أو التقرب أكثر من مشاكل الشعب أو الوضع العربي والدولي، فارتدت إلى التمسك بشماعة الشعارات الكبرى وتضخيمها (التغيير الوطني الديمقراطي واحداً منها) التي رأت فيها غطاءاً لبعض فشلها وستراً لبعض عورتها.

واستطراداً، إن واقع المعارضة السورية اليوم يؤشر على وجود خلل بنيوي ومنهجي فيها، يبرهنه فقدان قدرتها على توجيه الرأي العام الداخلي أو حتى التأثير البسيط فيه، وتحولت إلى “عراضات” لهذا الرمز أو لهذا الشعار أو لهذه الأجندة، وطغى عليها طابع الاستزلام والشللية والنخبوية الفارغة، غائصةً في عقدها ومغتربة عن واقعها، محنطة القول والخطاب، فاقدة القدرة على استقطاب الحد الأدنى من شرائح الشعب، وهذا بدوره يدل على ضعف البنية وسوء البرنامج وهشاشة الدور القيادي، جملة ذلك أدى إلى جمود أدائها التنظيمي، وطغيان فراغ فكري وتخبط سياسي وقصور وظيفي، أعاقها عن أداء دورها التي وعدت الشعب فيه في ظروف مفصلية كارثية تمر بها سورية.

وبدل أن تبحث في كيفية ترميم بنيتها الداخلية وتطوير أدائها التنظيمي والسياسي، واتباع النقد والشفافية وتكاملها لتنشيط حواملها الداخلية، ارتدت إلى صيغ العمل الفردي المفتقر للبرنامج السياسي الواضح من جهة، ولقيادة “كارزمية” فردية أو جماعية من جهة أخرى، واستمرت تتخبط على هذا الحال ضريرة ً فاقدةً للرؤية السياسية العملية، خائفة من النقد والصراحة والموضوعية ومحاربةً لهما، فهيكلت شكلها على قياس فرديتها واقتدت بالنظام في آلية عملها، وأصرت على العمل الفردي الفئوي في نهاية المطاف، والحال بما هو عليه تجذر عجزها وعدم قدرتها على استيعاب منهجية العمل الديمقراطي التعددي، والأمرّ من ذلك تأصيل فشلها في ركوب موجات إقليمية أتتها على طبق من ذهب صدفةً، مع ذلك لم تستطع أن تجيّرها لصالحها بل ربطت نفسها في زكزاكية تقلباتها، وراوحت في تناقضاتها الداخلية وفشلها في إحداث اختراق مهما كان بسيطاً في الوضع الداخلي أو الخارجي، فارتدت أكثر فأكثر إلى الصيغ الفردية لذات الرموز والتشكيلات الحزبية “العقائدية” التي تخندقت في الماضي، وفقدت قدرتها على العطاء والتفاعل مع بعضها ومع واقع الشعب السوري ومع مفاهيم ومعايير السياسة الدولية الجديدة.

هنا تتكشف هشاشة العمل المعارض بافتقاره إلى الرؤى الديناميكية السياسية الاستراتيجية، وسباته وعدم قدرته على تجديد بنيته وخطابه وآليات عمله ومواربته في فهم العمل الديمقراطي، فانصرفت قوى المعارضة المختلفة والموجودة في الخارج تحديداً إلى عناوين أخرى جانبية بعيدة عن الهم الوطني السوري، خلاصتها موروثة من إفرازات النظام والمتمثلة في أسوأها عبادة العمل الفردي الفئوي متآلفة مع خوائها مثبتة ًوجودها الهلامي بإطلاق البيانات المختلفة العيارات مختلفة الاتجاهات أسهمت كلها في تأصيل أزمتها الراهنة والدوران فيها.

ولمن الموضوعية التأشير، أن تراكم إرث النظام الكبير من البطش والقهر والإقصاء والتهميش ومصادرة الحريات والنهب وعدم تكافؤ الفرص وتضييق الخناق على معيشة الشعب والانتهاكات الفردية والجماعية للكرامات، أنتج خطاباً معارضاً متمركزاً حول التغيير وبشكل أدق على السلطة، وغاب عنه متطلبات العمل السياسي الديمقراطي في سورية التي برع النظام الأمني في انهاكها، فأتى خطابها (أي المعارضة) مشوهاً أحادياً، مفرّخاً نوعاً جديداً من التفكير الاقصائي الانعزالي لكن مقنعاً بالديمقراطية والتوافق الوطني، ويحمل في طياته التراشق بالتهم ومحملاً ببذور الانشقاق والفشل، ملتفة على أي محاولة لتعشيق حركة الداخل مع الخارج لتجميع القوى وزيادة وتيرة التفاعل مع واقع الشعب، وأكثر من ذلك محاربةً التوجهات الصادقة لاشتقاق برنامج ديمقراطي قوامه الموقف الوطني الواضح والتعددية الديمقراطية وقيم المواطنة والمدنية، والنضال من أجل الحريات العامة وحقوق الإنسان، أي موقف مضاد للاستبداد و”التوتاليتارية” التي أوصلت سورية إلى هذه الحالة من العقم والخواء وانسداد الأفق أمام الشعب.

مقاربات الخروج من الأزمة

والحال كذلك، بات الوضع الداخلي السياسي والأمني والاجتماعي والاقتصادي والأهلي خطيراً للغاية في مرحلة تكويع النظام من الممانعة إلى التطبيع ومع حزمة المستجدات على الوضع الاقليمي والدولي، بات في أمس الحاجة إلى اتخاذ موقف وطني جريء واضح مما يجري في سورية، بدايته تنشيط آليات أداء أطرافها على طريق تكامل عملها، يترجمه عملياً تحرك فعلي نوعي جديد، يتجاوز العقلية والذهنية والبنية الفردية، نحو تشكيل فريق وطني ديمقراطي قوامه كتلة وطنية واضحة الشكل والاسم والمضمون، تكون البداية لعمل مؤسسي تعددي يقطع مع سياسة التهميش والتصنيف والتوليف في إطار العمل السوري المعارض، كتلة وطنية تطرح نفسها كمعادل سياسي عملي موضوعي للنظام، كتلة قادرة على توجيه الرأي العام ومحاورة كل الأطراف، كتلة وطنية ديمقراطية تقطع الطريق على سرطان التشقق والشقاق الذي يتكاثر كالفطر، كتلة وطنية حواملها الموضوعية هي رموز الشعب المتنورة التي تمثله وتملك برنامجاً واضحاً لإشراكه عملياً في الشأن العام، كتلة تملك مواصفات وطنية سياسية أخلاقية تحدد هويتها الجماعية، تكون بديلاً للفردية والأنانية التي تضخمت إلى الحد الذي أصبح كل فرد فيها ملهماً، وكل حافظ كلام منظراً، وكل فردين حزباً وكل بضعة أفراد تجمعاً، كتلة وطنية بشعار سياسي ممكن قادرة على تبنيه وتحقيقه ببرنامج تنظيمي مؤسسي يتجاوز حالة الخلط واللغط وصف الشعارات التي أضلّت أطراف المعارضة والشعب معها، كتلة وطنية قوامها العمل الديمقراطي التعددي الشفاف، حاملها الأساسي هو الشعب وجذرها قيم الحرية والعدالة والمساواة وشرعة حقوق الإنسان، والقطع مع فكر العصبية والتطرف والاستئصال والتمييز والبراءة منها، كتلة وطنية عريضة وحدها قادرة على قيادة سفينة التغيير إلى شاطئ الأمان في ظروف سورية العاصفة.

بخلاف ذلك، تستمر أطراف المعارضة في لعبة الشقاق والتمويه وغياب الفعل وتقمص لاعب دور التغيير، والمزايدة اللفظية البينية تاركةً النظام يسرح ويمرح ويقمع ويفقر ويتاجر بحرية كما يريد، وستبقى أطرافها مختارة ً أو مكرهة ً تجلس القرفصاء عند عتبة النظام الديكتاتوري، تردد خطابه وتمارس سلوكه وتجذّر عصبيته، لكن من موقع توسل الضعيف فاقد الوسيلة ومعدوم الحيلة، والخدر اللغوي اللفظي بتوهم الديمقراطية، غائبةً حاضرة أو محتضرة، فاقدة الحيوية والحوامل الاجتماعية والسياسية المطلوبة، محمولة على أكتاف شعارات التغيير الواهنة ومواربات الحوار وسجالاته بين رموزها وبين نظامها، ناسية الشعب يئنّ تحت القمع والفقر واليأس وانسداد الأفق.

بقي أن نقول: الأمور بمنتهى الوضوح، ولم يعد هناك مخفيات وما يعيشه الشعب السوري من حالة خطيرة أصبحت مؤشرة وواضحة، يشترك في رسم محدداتها النظام السوري المعروف وضعف أداء أطراف المعارضة والخارجية منها تحديداً، يستدعي ذلك من حملة الهم والانتماء والفكر والكفاءة والأخلاق والحرص على الشعب السوري، حماية سورية من الانزلاق إلى مفاجآت قد تكون غير قابلة للضبط في محيط إقليمي يطغى عليه التطرف والعنف والفوضى وأصبح برميلاً من البارود، يتطلب إخراج سورية من الصفر الخطر وإنقاذها بعملية إسعافية سريعة من قبل مختصين، ومقدمة ذلك الشروع بتبني مشروع حواراً وطنياً شاملاً جريئاً شفافاً، على طريق تأسيس كتلة وطنية جديدة، تكون قوة مؤسسية سياسية ديمقراطية جماعية، تمثل الحامل الحقيقي للتغيير الديمقراطي السلمي في سورية، وتقطع الطريق على دعاة إرجاع العمل المعارض ومعه الشعب السوري إلى الصفر مرةً أخرى!.

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16:35
مدونة سلام: z-index في CSS
» ‎ Syria Planet

تستخدم z-index في CSS لتحديد البعد الثالث ، أو لنقل أنها تحدد "أفضلية الظهور !".

z-index هي إحدى خواص CSS ، عند التعامل مع DOM تصبح zIndex و تستخدم لتحديد البعد وفق المحور Z فإذا اعتبرنا أن المستوى الأساسي الذي هو مستوى الصفحة فيمكن اعتبار العناصر التي تكون فوق بعضها عدة طبقات و عادة تظهر الطبقة التي تأتي لاحقا فوق السابقة لكن بواسطة z-index يمكن تعيين قيمة لطبقة بحيث تكون أعلى من غيرها رغم ورود غيرها بعدها.

مثال ، اضغط هنا ، إنها 5 عناصر HTML من نوع div ملونة بألون مختلفة ، اضغط على أي مربع لتغيير قيمة z-index له لتصبح 3 و اضغط مرة أخرى ليعود 1 هذا لا ينطبق على المربع الأحمر في المنتصف ولا على المربع الذي في الزاوية اليسرى السفلية.

الحدث onclick المضاف و استخدام DOM هو فقط لتقديم مثال فعال.

CSS

#tl{
    position: absolute;
    left: 0px;
    top: 0px;
    width: 100px;
    height: 100px;
    background-color: #A4B928;
}
#tr{
    position: absolute;
    left: 100px;
    top: 0px;
    width: 100px;
    height: 100px;
    background-color: #C2611F;
}
#c{
    position: absolute;
    left: 50px;
    top: 50px;
    width: 100px;
    height: 100px;
    background-color: #DF270D;
    z-index:2;
}
#br{
    position: absolute;
    left: 100px;
    top: 100px;
    width: 100px;
    height: 100px;
    background-color: #9D4F80;
}
#bl{
    position: absolute;
    left: 0px;
    top: 100px;
    width: 100px;
    height: 100px;
    background-color: #004040;
}

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16:35
Razanisms - رزانيّــــات: صباح الخيرِ
» ‎ Syria Planet

مبسوطة اليوم حبّيت صبّح عليكنّ وعليكم جميعاً :)
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16:35
أدهم: نحن بشر !
» ‎ Syria Planet

أكره الأسواق كثيراً , ولا أطيق أن أمشي في سوق دون هدف , يعني أقعد بالبيت 24 ساعة أحسن عندي من أني روح على سوق ربع ساعة . اليوم وأثناء تجولي في الأحد الأسواق التي لا أطيقها , دخلنا مركزاً ضيقاً جدا , من كتر البضاعة لاتستطيع أن تمشي وبجانبك شخص آخر , دخلنا وكان الأمر عادي جداً في البداية , كنت واقفاً في زاوية داخل المركز , وإذ بمرأة تصدم بي , وهي ليست صغيرة ولا كبيرة , وبدأ الشتم ينهال عليّ من كل الجهات , قالت : ( ياساتر , إيش هو هادا , إيش الناس هدول , أستغفر الله بس ) , بالرغم من أنها هي من أخطأ .. مشيت أنا ولم ألقي لها بالاً لأنها إمرأة ولم أرد إحداث فوضى في المركز .

مناسبة الموضوع , تعقيباً على موضوع الأخت العزيزة هذيان ( تساؤلات ) , حتى نحن الشباب عما نلقى نفس التعاملات , يعني جفاف لا طبيعي , وسوء الظن أول مايخطر ببال الناس .

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16:35
Ahmad Edilbi's Blog: Ahmad N Edilbi
» ‎ Syria Planet

سواء كنت تستخدم حواسيبها أو لا، وسواء كنت تحب مديرها أم لا، فشركة أبل الأمريكية نموذج رائد مثير لكثير الجدل، وتمثل في ذاتها مجموعة من الدروس في الإبداع والتسويق والابتكار. لا يمكنك الحكم بسهولة على شركة أبل، فهي في ناحية مبدعة، وفي أخرى مستبدة، ومرة مغرورة، ومرة ذات رؤية بعيدة. لا، لم أنتقل إلى معسكر أبل، [...]
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16:35
Maysaloon - ميسلون:
» ‎ Syria Planet

Funny

A Peek into Others' mind » August 23, 2008

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