A Peek into Others' mind » August 27, 2008

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August 28, 2008
7:47
tiny
» ‎ Body on the Line

growing up i always had to endure the ridiculous argument–equipped with distorted maps, of course–that the state of israel is so tiny and surrounded by dangerous, evil neighbors who want to “push all the jews into the sea.” john mccain has a new television ad about israel, but the tiny country featured in the ad [...]

7:47
Iraq Ops Update
» ‎ GlobalSecurity.org

No description
7:47
Afghanistan Ops Update
» ‎ GlobalSecurity.org

No description

7:45
NYT: Switzerland frees $60 million in Zardari's ...
» ‎ War and Piece

NYT: Switzerland frees $60 million in Zardari's assets. "Mr. Zardaris accounts were frozen in 1997 at the request of Pakistani authorities investigating allegations that Mr. Zardari had received kickbacks while he was a government official and his wife, Benazir Bhutto,...

7:43
Syria Comment: New Round UP (27 August 2008)
» ‎ Syria Planet

Sarkozy confirms Syria visit date
BBC, August 27, 2008

Mr. Sarkozy said the trip was aimed at pursuing "necessary dialogue" with leaders in Damascus. Relations between Paris and Damascus plummeted after the murder of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri in 2005. …. Mr Sarkozy hosted Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in July and correspondents he appears determined to bring Syria, a long-time foe of the US and Israel, back into the international fold.

During the Paris summit, Syria and Lebanon, an important ally of France, agreed to open embassies in each other's capitals for the first since the 1940s.

The deal was sealed during a trip by Lebanon's President, Michel Suleiman, to Damascus two weeks ago, where the two leaders also discussed other long-standing issues.

Syria to purchase 14 Airbus planes from France: The civilian planes will be purchased over nine years, from 2009 to 2018, the sources said. Syria will also rent four planes over the coming year, the sources added.

Lebanese President Michel Sleiman tells US officials: “World should open up to Syria”

BEIRUT (AFP) — Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on Wednesday urged the international community to open up to Syria because of its key role in the region.

“The international community must open up to Syria, following the example set by France, because Syria plays a fundamental role at the regional level,” Sleiman said in a statement.

He made his remarks at a meeting with an American delegation led by Deputy Assistant to the Undersecretary of State for Near East Affairs David Hale.

Asma al-Assad was awarded the prize for being the most outstanding Arab woman of 2008. The honor was confered by the League of Arab Nations and the Center for the Study of the Participation of Arab Women. In particular, she was recognized for her work in promoting early childhood learning and preschools in the rural districts of Syria.

When I met my wife, Manar, in 2002, she was working for UNICEF in developing early childhood education in the Syrian countryside. Mrs Assad came to several of the conferences held by the UN on rural development and children's' education. My wife said that she had a commanding presence even then; she participated in the discussions, was extremely well informed about the realities of rural education in Syria, and took a deep interest in the programs that were being pursued by the UN. She knew peoples' names and listened to them. This was a real boost to everyone working at the UN.

Jailed officer sues ex-UN investigator in Hariri murder probe

BEIRUT (AFP) — A former Lebanese security chief detained over the murder of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri is suing a former UN investigator in the case, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

General Jamil Sayyed, the former head of the general security department, filed the lawsuit in France against Detlev Mehlis, attorney Akram Azouri told reporters.

Sayyed is among four officers, who are believed to be close to Syria, who are in custody in Lebanon over the February 2005 assassination of Hariri in a massive Beirut car bombing.

“Jamil Sayyed’s lawyers in France have filed the lawsuit against Mehlis for distorting the investigation and calling false witnesses,” Azouri told a news conference.

Sayyed and the other officers — former presidential guard chief Mustafa Hamdan, the former head of the internal security forces Ali Hajj and the former chief of army intelligence Raymond Azar — have been held without charge since August 2005 but all have protested their innocence.

Russia plans to raise navy presence in Syria: diplomat
By Khaled Yacoub Oweis
Reuters, August 27, 2008

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - The Russian navy will make more use of Syrian ports as part of increased military presence in the Mediterranean, a Russian diplomat said on Wednesday.

The announcement comes as tensions rise between Moscow and the West over Russia's role in Georgia. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad backed Russia's recent offensive on Georgia in support of a separatist province during a visit to Russia last week.

"Our Navy presence in the Mediterranean will increase. Russian vessels will be visiting Syria and other friendly ports more frequently," Igor Belyaev, the Russian charge d'affaires, told reporters in the Syrian capital.

"The visits are continuing," he added.

Russia relies on Syria's Tartous port as a main stopping point in the Mediterranean, although ties between the two countries have cooled since the collapse of Communism, when Moscow supplied Syria with billions of dollars worth of arms.

Internet news sites have reported that a Russian naval unit, including the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, docked at Tartous earlier this month.

Belyaev would not be drawn on specifics, or whether new military agreements with Syria were reached during Assad's meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at a Black Sea resort on Thursday.

"The two leaders gave their directions to advance ties in the economy, trade and energy fields, as well as military cooperation," he said…

Syria eyes an edge amid Russia-U.S. rift
The Christian Science Monitor
By Nicholas Blanford
August 28, 2008

Washington - When Russian forces crossed into South Ossetia and Georgia, Syria was one of the few countries to voice support for Moscow's actions in the Caucasus as the West was busy condemning the invasion.

The growing rift between Russia and the United States over Georgia promises to be a golden opportunity for Damascus as it seeks a weapons deal with Moscow – an agreement that would give it greater leverage in tentative peace talks with Israel and bolster its standing in the Middle East.

"Syria saw a lot of opportunity in what happened in Georgia and South Ossetia to advance its own interests in the [region]," says Sami Moubayed, a Syrian political analyst and historian.

Indeed, if the US-Russia rift continues to widen, Moscow could start building greater ties with Washington's Middle East foes.

Although Syria's isolation has crumbled in recent years, Damascus remains deeply at odds with Washington over a host of issues: support for Islamist militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, the war in Iraq, and its relationship with Iran.

Syria nonetheless has made a diplomatic comeback in recent months through a carefully calculated balance of patience, stubbornness, and flexibility. Forced into a troop withdrawal from Lebanon in 2005, Syria has seen its Lebanese allies make gains despite the fact that a US-backed political bloc holds a majority in parliament.

Also, Syria has managed to balance its key strategic relationship with Iran against a resumption of indirect peace talks with Israel.

"Syria is keeping its options open," says Andrew Tabler, a Damascus-based analyst on Syria.

Syria may have sniffed another opportunity to leverage regional advantage when fighting erupted between Russia and Georgia earlier this month.

While Russia has signaled a new determination to impose its will on its immediate neighbors, it is too soon to tell whether Moscow intends to increase its influence in the Middle East as well.

The Soviet Union was once Syria's main weapons supplier, leaving Damascus saddled with a $13.4 billion arms-sales debt at the end of the cold war in 1990. In 2005, Russia wrote off almost three quarters of the debt, launching a new era of improved cooperation and fresh arms deals.

Damascus has its eyes on Russia's advanced antiaircraft and antitank missile systems that in Syria's hands could pose a threat to Israel's aerial and armored dominance. According to a Russian diplomat quoted last week by Russia's Interfax news agency, Syria is interested in acquiring the BUK M1 and Pantsyr S1 antiaircraft missile systems.

In April, the Russia-supported autonomous republic of Abkhazia inside Georgia reportedly used the BUK M1 system to shoot down an Israeli-made Hermes reconnaissance drone operated by the Georgian military. The BUK and Pantsyr systems are far more advanced than Syria's current air defense assets, most of which were bought from the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

The ease with which Israeli jets penetrated Syrian airspace a year ago to bomb a suspected nuclear facility in northeast Syria underlined to Damascus the need for an improved air defense system.

During a visit to Russia last week, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that "arm purchases are very important for Syria." And potential arms deals topped the agenda in his talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Acquiring Russian armaments also could strengthen Syria's hand as it negotiates a peace deal with Israel. President Assad was quoted recently as saying that the next round of indirect talks planned for next week in Istanbul would prove "decisive." Success is by no means certain, however, and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Monday dampened expectations, saying "unfortunately, there has not been enough progress for the talks to become direct."

Syria also has to calculate that the process may yet fall victim to the leadership crisis in Israel following Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's announcement that he is stepping down.

"If the Syrians purchase Russian arms, that can be an additional pressure card for the peace talks taking place in Turkey," says Mr. Moubayed, the Syrian political analyst. "Let's not forget that the Syrians have no guarantees as to what might happen after Olmert leaves in September."

Israel has eyed Syria's ambition of acquiring Russian weapons with unease, fearing the erosion of its military edge. Furthermore, there is a suspicion in Israel that weapons systems obtained by Syria could end up in the hands of Hezbollah. The Shiite militant group used advanced Russian antitank missiles to deadly effect against Israeli armored vehicles during the 2006 war. The Lebanese group is believed to be seeking new air defense weapons systems to counteract regular Israeli incursions in Lebanon.

But Russia is likely to impose limits on the variety of weapons it sells to Syria. Russian sources denied reports last week that Damascus was hoping to acquire Iskander ballistic missiles that could threaten almost all of Israel. And Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow was willing to supply the Syrians with "defensive weapons which are not breaking the regional balance of power."

Russia's relationship with Israel has improved since the end of the cold war, not least because of the large influx of Russian emigrants to the Jewish state from the early 1990s.

When fighting broke out in South Ossetia, Israel was quick to reassure Russia that it was freezing military sales to Georgia. Mr. Olmert is to visit Moscow shortly to reaffirm bilateral ties and discourage Russia from providing weapons to Syria.

Still, improved ties with Syria has its uses for Moscow. As a potential major arms supplier to Syria, Moscow would gain influence in the Middle East as a counterweight to the US. Also, Moscow and Damascus have been mulling the possibility of building a Russian naval base in Tartous on Syria's Mediterranean coastline, granting the Russians a key warm-water facility.

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7:43
صالحانيات: Mr. Salhani
» ‎ Syria Planet

كلمات من ذهب….قلّ ما نكترث لها…. (لااااااااازم نعيييد التفكير) خللونا نقرأ بعقولنا …يلا لشوف: هل كان علينا أن نسقط من عُلُوّ شاهق، ونرى دمنا على أيدينا… لنُدْرك أننا لسنا ملائكة.. كما كنا نظن؟ وهل كان علينا أيضاً أن نكشف عن عوراتنا أمام الملأ، كي لا تبقى حقيقتنا عذراء؟ كم كَذَبنا حين قلنا: نحن استثناء … أن تصدق نفسك أسوأ من أن تكذب [...]
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7:38
Israel walks tightrope as US and Russia dispatch ships to Georgia
» ‎ IMRA Middle East News Updates

Yurkov said that Russia "will take into account" Jerusalem's "balance" and
"low profile" during the crisis, and these would likely have a positive
impact on Israeli-Russian relations.

Israel walks tightrope as US and Russia dispatch ships to Georgia
Herb Keinon , THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 28, 2008
www.jpost.com
/servlet/Satellite?cid=1219572145087&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

As the US and Russia sent military vessels to dock at different Georgian
ports on Wednesday, Israel continued to tread carefully, issuing no
statement regarding Russia's recognition of the breakaway Georgian provinces
and - in an apparent show of balance - is planning to send humanitarian aid
not only to Georgia, but to North Ossetia as well.

Anatoly Yurkov, the charge d'affaires at Russia's embassy in Tel Aviv, told
The Jerusalem Post in an interview that Moscow appreciated the balanced
position Israel had taken throughout the crisis, as well as its "low
profile."

A first meeting was held in the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday to discuss
Russia's recognition a day earlier of the breakaway republics of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Post has learned that while Israel would most
likely decide to continue to recognize Georgia's "territorial integrity," it
was unlikely to join the chorus of condemnations of Russia coming from the
US, Germany and Britain. It would also certainly not recognize the breakaway
republics.

The dominant position in Jerusalem is that this is not Israel's fight, that
it has critical strategic interests in the relationship with Moscow, and
that it is not a superpower that needs to sound off on every issue around
the globe. No formal decision, however, on how or even whether to react to
Russia's recognition of the breakaway republics has been made.

Government sources pointed out that Israel had yet to recognize Kosovo's
independence from Serbia.

Yurkov said that Russia "will take into account" Jerusalem's "balance" and
"low profile" during the crisis, and these would likely have a positive
impact on Israeli-Russian relations.

He said that in recent months Israel had stopped selling any offensive
weapons to Georgia, and had ceased all arms sales to Tbilisi since the
fighting began.

Yurkov also claimed that Georgia was trying to drive a wedge between Moscow
and Jerusalem in talking about Israeli arms sales and the effectiveness of
Israeli weaponry against Russian troops, an assessment not dismissed in
Jerusalem.

One indication of the balance Israel is trying to maintain on the conflict
is that Jerusalem, which has already sent humanitarian aid to Georgia, has
offered to send humanitarian aid to North Ossetia in Russia to help it deal
with the influx of refugees there.

Yurkov said the aid being discussed consisted of medicine and medical
equipment, while Israeli sources said the details were still being worked
out. The ambassador said that the symbolism of the aid was more important
than the content. No date for sending it has been set.

Yurkov said that the tension over Georgia would not impact on Russia's
position regarding the Iranian nuclear program, and that Russia was not
going to give Teheran any assistance now in order to damage US interests. He
repeated Moscow's position that a nuclear Iran was not in Russia's strategic
interests.

"Our position on Iran will stay the way it is now," he said.

When asked whether Russia would support another round of measures against
Iran, Yurkov said it "depended on the sanctions."

He also reiterated Russia's position that it would not introduce offensive
weapons to the Middle East that would change the region's strategic balance.
He stressed that Syrian President Bashar Assad's comments during his visit
to Moscow last week about placing Russian missiles in Syria as a
counterbalance to the agreement to place US missiles in Poland were Assad's
comments alone, not Russia's.

Yurkov downplayed any crisis in Israeli-Russian ties over Assad's arms
requests, and added that the Syrians had been requesting state-of-the-art
weaponry for years.

Regarding the Middle East diplomatic process, Yurkov said Russia would still
like to host an international Middle East peace conference in November as a
follow-up to last November's Annapolis meeting. He said, however, that
Israel's agreement to such a meeting was essential.

Israeli officials have said that Jerusalem has not yet made a decision on
the matter.

Yurkov dismissed the notion that the conflict in the Caucasus would lead to
Russia's ouster from the Middle East Quartet, which in addition to Russia
consists of the US, EU and the UN, and that Moscow intended to take part in
the Quartet meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in
mid-September.

7:25
WP: "Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to ...
» ‎ War and Piece

WP: "Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was once again scolded by senior State Department officials for diplomatic freelancing, but he appears likely to keep his job in the Bush administration's waning months, U.S. officials said yesterday."...

7:14
Military Sending Foreign Fighters to Home Nations
» ‎ NYT > Middle East

More than 200 militants captured in Iraq and Afghanistan over two years have been passed to their countries’ intelligence services.
7:09
Jerusalem Journal: Israel, After 43 Years, Is Ready for Beatlemania
» ‎ NYT > Middle East

Excitement is building for the first concert by Paul McCartney in Israel, an epilogue to a tale that began in 1965 when authorities canceled a Beatles concert on “spiritual and cultural” grounds.

6:02
Counterradicalization in the Netherlands
» ‎ Counterterrorism Blog

I have an article in the latest issue of The Sentinel, the West Point Combating Terrorism Center’s journal. The piece is entitled A Preliminary Assessment of Counter-Radicalization in the Netherlands and describes various programs implemented by Dutch authorities, focusing particularly on those of the city of Amsterdam. The second part of the article analyzes the relationship between authorities and political Salafists/non-violent Islamists, a topic that has been addressed several times by CT blog contributors and, most recently, in an excellent post by Matt Levitt. This is what I wrote in The Sentinel:

…..Dutch authorities are faced with the same dilemma haunting most of their Western counterparts: can non-violent Islamists be engaged and used as partners against violent radicalization? Can Western offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood or political Salafists like those active in the Netherlands become partners against the appeal of jihadists? The Dutch seem to address these questions by drawing a clear line between engaging and empowering. All sorts of voices, as long as they do not advocate violence, should be engaged, since pushing non-violent Islamists at the margins could have negative repercussions. Nevertheless, authorities feel they cannot consider them as permanent partners, as there is a clear understanding that these forces espouse a message that clashes with the Dutch government’s ideas of democracy, integration and cohesive society.

This assessment leads to a case-by-case approach in which authorities engage non-violent Islamists when they need to and when common ground can be found. This policy was implemented, for example, during the months preceding the release of the controversial movie Fitna by Dutch MP Geert Wilders. Security services held several meetings with some of the most radical Salafist imams in the country, explaining that the Dutch government did not support Wilders and obtaining from the imams a promise, later kept, that they would have urged their followers not to react violently to the movie. Nevertheless, the security services do not consider political Salafists as reliable partners and advise local authorities from doing so. The security services’ advice is particularly important since political Salafists have been regularly approaching municipalities and provinces with offers of partnership in counter-radicalization and integration programs….

As Matt correctly stated, the reality on the ground is what dictates the policies and attitudes of authorities. Given the situation in most European countries, some form of cooperation with political Salafists/non-violent Islamists is necessary (even though that does not necessarily mean that that is the right policy in other places). What is important is to understand the real aims of our interlocutors and to keep clear in mind the difference between engaging and empowering. The Dutch seem to get both concepts.

5:46
Conventional Discussion Thread 9
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

As Joe Biden relentlessly hammers the word “change” into our frontal lobes...

5:35
Ahmad Edilbi's Blog: Ahmad N Edilbi
» ‎ Syria Planet

لفتت انتباهي حملة قامت بها بعض الدول الأوربية بالتعاون مع بعض الوكالات التسويقية بخصوص الحوادث الناجمة عن القيادة المتهورة والسرعة الزائدة في المدن والطرق الرئيسة.. ومايميز هذه الحملة بكونها طريفة جداً !! .. وتكمن طرافتها بكونها خدعة بصرية للسائقين ليس إلا .. ليقوموا بالضغط على الفرامل والتخفيف من سرعتهم. إليكم الصور التوضيحية لهذه الحملة.. ابداع رائع أليس كذلك .. ولكن [...]
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4:38
Israel almost doubles the number of houses being built in the settlements
» ‎ Wake Up From Your Slumber - The Truth Will Set You Free

Israel has nearly doubled the number of homes under construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank this year, according to a report published today.

read more

4:34
Conventional Discussion Thread 8
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

And now for some more John F. Kerry...

4:27
U.S. to Hand Over Security in Anbar to the Iraqis
» ‎ NYT > Middle East

The U.S. military will hand over responsibility for the security of Anbar Province, one of the most violent regions in Iraq, as early as next Monday, officials said.
4:21
World Briefing | Middle East: Sarkozy Reaches Out to Syria
» ‎ NYT > Middle East

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has announced plans to go to Syria next Wednesday to pursue restoring diplomatic ties.

4:12
The “Self-Confessed Mastermind of 9/11”
» ‎ Wake Up From Your Slumber - The Truth Will Set You Free

The Financial Times and the “Self-Confessed Mastermind of 9/11”
By James Petras
Aug 26, 2008

read more

4:03
Conventional Discussion Thread 7
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

And now for some Bill Clinton...
3:33
Zombie: Scenes from a Convention
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

(Cross-posted at Pajamas Media.)

Not everything that happens outside the Democratic National Convention fits into a “theme” of some sort. Instead, a chaotic kaleidoscope of sights and scenes assault your senses, until you just get overwhelmed. The following series of images were all taken within the space of two hours. I present them here to give everyone a more gut-level impression of what walking around Denver is like this week.

The factory had a huge inventory of Bill Cosby dolls left over from the 1980s; Obama gets nominated — bingo! — dust off the boxes, change the names, and we’re back in business.

Wherever there was a blank wall of sufficient size in downtown Denver, the Obama campaign or the Democratic party or someone hung these gargantuan Rocky Mountain Messiah posters.

Lady, I hear what you’re sayin’.

I found this quite interesting: never before have I seen the Secret Service and the FBI (notice the “USSS” and “FBI” tags in the window) patrol city streets like beat cops. I’ve been noticing cars like this one prowling downtown Denver night and day.

Haven’t heard or seen the word “Change” enough recently? This guy’s got your fix, jumbo-style:
CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE!

I thought the guy in the foreground was just another Obama supporter, trying to talk Nader-ites into voting for a candidate who could actually win. But when I spoke with him, it turned out he was a fan of the original Jesus, not the new one.

Recreate 68 had a permanent encampment in Civic Center Park which they optimistically called “The Festival of Democracy” because they had scheduled a full slate of speakers, performers and musical acts all day every day. But whenever I swung by to check out how the festival was going, the scene inevitably looked like this: a desolate, near-empty amphitheater, with a tiny handful of bored stragglers. Perhaps they should have called it the “Festival of Where Is Everybody?”.

One of the festival’s many speakers was Ward Churchill’s wife and communist firebrand Natsu Saito (if anyone who speaks in a monotone as she does can be called a firebrand), who seemed to be guarded by bandanna-wearing members of the American Indian Movement.

No more ass-crackery!

Well, at least you’ve got to give them credit for being honest.

Every now and then, a protester or three would show up who just didn’t fit in to any of the existing protest categories. Anarchists? No. Hillary supporters? Nope. Abortion activists? Nuh-uh. Communists? Nyet. Environmentalists cult-members extremists bikers Christians feminists Palestinians? No no no no no. So they’d usually just stand off by themselves, wondering what to do.

Lo and behold, my old friends the Bush Legacy Bus showed up as well, but once again I was denied: the last time I saw them, the bus had nowhere to park, so I couldn’t get on to see the exhibits. This time they had successfuly stopped, but — isn’t life ironic? — they had a power failure in the bus and had to close.

This sign conveys in the most concise manner possible the Left’s self-negating thesis concerning the American military: our soldiers are crude, violent occupiers who fight wars to steal oil; AND they’re sad, pitiable victims who get their legs blown off fighting wars they don’t want to fight (notice the artificial legs), and that the way we can “support the troops” is to bring them all home permanently. I see this paradoxical and fundamentally illogical position promoted everywhere these days.

It can be yours for the low low price of twenty Amerikkkan dollars.

3:14
Democrats choose Obama as nominee
» ‎ JPost.com Front Page Top Stories

Biden selected as VP nomination, says talking to Iran "is the best way to ensure our security."
2:50
McCain TV ad blasts Obama on Iran
» ‎ JPost.com Front Page Top Stories

Ad mocks Obama for trivializing threat posed by Teheran; Obama campaign: Ad a distortion of truth.
2:45
'Say no to Palestinian hospital in Gush'
» ‎ JPost.com Front Page Top Stories

MKs urge Defense Ministry to reject request for construction on strategic hilltop in West Bank.
2:29
Israel faces quandary over Gaza boats
» ‎ JPost.com Front Page Top Stories

Int'l activists may be detained by navy as they set sail to Cyprus, this time with 14 Palestinians on board.

2:23
Iranian visiting Babak Khoramdin
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iranian visiting Babak Khoramdin
2:23
Dog Saves Abandoned Human Newborn by Caring for Him Along With Puppies
» ‎ Persian Journal

Dog Saves Abandoned Human Newborn by Caring for Him Along With Puppies
2:23
UN: US kills civilians in Afghanistan
» ‎ Persian Journal

UN: US kills civilians in Afghanistan
2:23
Mafia to dump dollar for euro
» ‎ Persian Journal

Mafia to dump dollar for euro
2:23
Iranian woman receives quality medal
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iranian woman receives quality medal
2:23
Iran Premier League 5th day on hold
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iran Premier League 5th day on hold
2:23
Lebanon united against Israel
» ‎ Persian Journal

Lebanon united against Israel
2:23
Iran to review Susa archeology
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iran to review Susa archeology
2:23
Italians to help restore Cyrus tomb
» ‎ Persian Journal

Italians to help restore Cyrus tomb
2:23
Iran, Italy sign 100M Euro deal
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iran, Italy sign 100M Euro deal
2:23
FM: Iran, EU working toward fresh talks
» ‎ Persian Journal

FM: Iran, EU working toward fresh talks
2:23
Iran: US must leave Iraq quickly
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iran: US must leave Iraq quickly
2:23
Thousands visit Iran photo exhibit in Denver's Civic Center
» ‎ Persian Journal

Thousands visit Iran photo exhibit in Denver's Civic Center
2:23
Iran says OPEC to try to curb oil price fall
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iran says OPEC to try to curb oil price fall
2:23
Iraq mistakes being repeated in Afghanistan
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iraq mistakes being repeated in Afghanistan
2:23
Four held in plot to kill Obama
» ‎ Persian Journal

Four held in plot to kill Obama
2:23
Iran sentences activist to 15 years in jail
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iran sentences activist to 15 years in jail
2:23
Russia may hit USA very hard below the belt
» ‎ Persian Journal

Russia may hit USA very hard below the belt
2:23
Colleague denies Iran actress faced travel ban
» ‎ Persian Journal

Colleague denies Iran actress faced travel ban
2:23
Iraqi adviser says he quit to speak against Iran
» ‎ Persian Journal

Iraqi adviser says he quit to speak against Iran

2:23
Syria Blog: I am not a racist
» ‎ Syria Planet

I’m not a racist. I hate all the peoples of the world equally.

I hate the annoying Americans and the bloody British, the crappy Canadians and the dumb Danish, the effluent Estonians and the foul French, the grotesque Germans and the horrible Hungarians, the idiotic Italians and the jerk off Jamaicans, the knuckleheaded Koreans and the Ludicrous Lithuanians, the moronic Moroccans and the nitwit Nepalese, the oafish Omanis and the preposterous Portuguese, the quack Qataris and the rubbish Romanians, the silly Spanish and the twisted Turks, the ugly Ukrainians and the vulgar Vietnamese, the warty Welsh and the (there’s no country that begins with X, wtf? Xylophone?), the yucky Yemenis and the zitty Zambians.

Yes, I despise everyone regardless of race color or creed!

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2:23
أحمد نذير بكداش: مصطفى والساقطة
» ‎ Syria Planet

تبدأ القصة بتفوق شاب مسلم, وسفره للخارج (دول أجنبية) لأستكمال تعليمه, هذا الشاب رغم أنه مهذب إلا أنه لا يصلي نهائيا! ولكنه لا يرتكب أخطاء, يعني ما بيشرب شي, ما بيكذب ..الخ. المهم: هذا الشاب يسكن في الخارج في شقة مع شخصين, وذات يوم دخلت عليه في غرفته فتاه روعة في الجمال (كما وصفها) قالت له أنا [...]
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2:23
The Blog and the Shower: WWJB?
» ‎ Syria Planet

George Orwell

I love it when I hear about a blog that uses the format in an innovative way; the versatility of blogging is one of the things that makes it so hard to study or encapsulate, but also so potent. As someone who enjoys studying history, I like Juan Cole’s Napoleon’s Egypt, which reprints letters from French troops written during Napoleon’s campaign in the Middle East (I’m not great with military history, so I found some of the letters a snore, but I still thought the idea was brilliant); just a few days ago, I learned about the intriguing The Orwell Prize, which posts an entry from Orwell’s diary each day. So next time you sit down at your computer, insert your favorite historical figure and ask: What Would [________] have Blogged?

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2:23
:: Ahmad Bekdash Blog ::: أبو ذر نموذجا - جودت سعيد -
» ‎ Syria Planet

في المقالة السابقة تحدثت عن بلال كنموذج للإنسان الذي تحرر. وفي هذه المقالة أريد أن أسلط الضوء على نموذج أبي ذر الغفاري، الشخص الذي نقد ما عليه المسلمون عندما فقدوا الرشد. كان أبو ذر يرى أن الوجود ينطوي على سر كبير وأن هذا الكون ليس العبث الذي يعيشه الناس فلما سمع ...
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المدونة الدمشقية: خط تحت مأهولة
» ‎ Syria Planet

في سوريا نيوز خبر عن قرار لوزارة الإدارة المحلية بإنشاء لجنة لدراسة طلبات ترخيص المطاعم في دمشق القديمة. هل ستهتم هكذا لجنة بحقوق سكان دمشق القديمة قبل روّاد المطاعم والسيّاح أم هل سيقتصر دورها على حصر فتح المطاعم بمن يملك نفوذاً وواسطة؟ ما تحتاجه الشام القديمة هو قانون يمنع الترخيص لأي مطعم أو فندق جديد. ما فيها يكفيها. إن تطوير المدينة القديمة يعني أن نحسن ظروف سكانها الحاليين ونوفر الخدمات لهم، لا أن نجمّلها للسياح على حسابهم. لنتذكر أن معجزة دمشق القديمة هي في استمرار الحياة داخل أسوارها لآلاف السنين. نقول أنها أقدم مدينة مأهولة في العالم. مأهولة، ويجب أن تبقى كذلك، لا أن تتحول إلى أقدم متحف في العالم.

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MQabbani, Minds Talk: LIVE post: From Damas
» ‎ Syria Planet

Yes I am in Damas ,

the weather is nice and evey thing is going cool so far

seeing my lady give me more power, also theres some bussiness offers and deals must be done….

so far 3 fights , 2 hot arugement ….
traffic is so bad , it take me like 20-30 min at least to catch an empty one…

now am walking in Baghdad St. and Damas air is always Diff. and changed my mood

keep smile every one :) and have a nice sweet day

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2:23
Syria Comment: Has the US Missed a Chance for Arab - Israeli Peace?
» ‎ Syria Planet

A Syrian-Israeli Breakthrough?
David Ignatius
Washington Post
August 27, 2008

DAMASCUS — Of all the wild cards in the Middle East deck, this one may be the most intriguing: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appears ready for direct peace talks with Israel, if the United States will join France as a co-sponsor.

That’s the word from senior advisers to Assad, who spoke with me here this week. The same assessment comes from top French officials in Paris. A direct meeting would raise the Syrian-Israeli dialogue to a new level; so far, it has been conducted indirectly, through Turkey.

The Syrians would like to see a clear signal from the Bush administration that it supports the peace process and that the United States is prepared to join the French as “godfather” of the talks. But Syrian officials are pessimistic and say they doubt that the administration, which has sought to isolate and punish Syria, will change its policy in the few months it has left. That would disappoint some of Assad’s advisers, who prefer to move quickly, rather than wait for a new U.S. administration to organize its foreign policy priorities.

The prospect for direct Syrian-Israeli negotiations will come into clearer focus next week when French President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to visit here for talks with Assad. That meeting follows Assad’s trip to Paris last month for a summit of Mediterranean nations. At that gathering, the Syrian leader sat around the same table with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, but the two apparently didn’t talk directly.

The French diplomatic engagement with Syria has already helped break the logjam in Lebanon, opening the way finally for election of a president and a new government. The new Lebanese president, Michel Suleiman, visited Syria this month to discuss opening formal diplomatic ties; Damascus had rejected such discussions in the past, regarding Lebanon as part of “Greater Syria.”

Sarkozy’s chief diplomatic adviser, Jean-David Levitte, has briefed U.S. national security adviser Stephen Hadley regularly about the French diplomatic moves, but U.S. public statements have been cautious.

Syria wants an American role in the negotiations partly as a guarantee that Israel will withdraw from the Golan Heights to the border that existed before the June 1967 war. The Syrians have received private assurances through Turkish mediators that Israel will indeed withdraw as part of an overall peace deal, and that disputes about borders, water rights and other technical issues can be resolved through formulas explored in U.S.-backed negotiations during the 1990s.

Syrian officials caution that Washington shouldn’t expect any quick, decisive break in its alliance with Iran. Instead, they say, Syria aims to broaden its relationships to include Turkey, France, Russia and even the United States and Israel, in addition to Iran. Officials here speak of a role for Syria as a potential bridge to Iran rather than as a new means of isolating it.

The Syrians certainly would like to be less reliant on Iran. The relationship has been strained since the indirect dialogue with Israel was announced in May, in part because of an Iranian regional rivalry with Turkey.

“If you force Assad to choose — to leave the alliance with Tehran first [as a condition for U.S. support for the peace talks], he’ll never do it,” cautions a French official. “You have to offer a slow choice. He will gradually discover he doesn’t need the alliance with Iran.”

Assad’s trip to Moscow last week, in which he discussed arms sales and military cooperation with Russia, raised concerns that Syria was slipping back into its old Cold War alignment. But officials here say the trip was driven in part by Assad’s concern that Syria could get squeezed in any future conflict between Iran and Israel — and Syria’s desire for Russian protection. In this sense, a strategic relationship with Russia might be an alternative to Syria’s current dependence on Iran, some Syrians argue.

Another card for Assad is his ability to pressure Hamas to restrain attacks in Gaza and the West Bank, sources here say. That would address a chief U.S. concern, which is Syrian support for Hamas, Hezbollah and other groups the United States views as terrorist organizations.

Israelis have been wondering for many months whether the peace feelers from Damascus are real. They may have a chance to find out soon, if the Bush administration decides to join France in sponsoring a meeting that would test everyone’s sincerity. Often enough in the Middle East, potential diplomatic breakthroughs prove to be illusory. But that’s no reason not to give this one a try — and soon.

Sarkozy to visit Syria on September 3: PARIS (AFP) — French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Wednesday he would go to Syria on September 3, the latest step in the two states' bid to normalise ties severed after the 2005 murder of Lebanon's former premier Rafiq Hariri.

Syrian FM: No headway in peace talks with Israel
The Associated Press
Monday, August 25, 2008

DAMASCUS, Syria: Syria’s foreign minister said Monday that no headway has been achieved in several rounds of indirect negotiations with Israel.

Walid al-Moallem said the talks mediated by Turkey “regrettably” have not progressed enough for the two parties to hold direct negotiations but added both Israel and Syria were “serious” about solving outstanding issues.

Jihad Makdisi for a smart "official" debate on Syria-Lebanon relations: Youtube - [www.youtube.com]

Syria-Israel talks focused on border: Moualem: Reuters
By Khaled Yacoub Oweis

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Indirect peace talks between Syria and Israel are focused on the thorny issue of how much Syrian territory is under Israeli occupation, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said on Monday.

In the first official comment on the content of the talks, which began in May under Turkish mediation, Moualem said the two sides were seeking agreement on land Syria controlled before Israel occupied the Golan Heights in the 1967 Middle East war.

"We feel that the two sides are serious about solving the lingering issues that are being discussed. Foremost is determination of the June 4, 1967 line," Moualem told reporters after meeting his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner.

Nearly a decade of U.S.-supervised negotiations between Syria and Israel collapsed in 2000 over the extent of a proposed Israeli withdrawal from the Golan, a water-rich plateau.

Syria argued then that it was in control before the 1967 war of parts of the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, on the edge of the Golan, and that these parts should be returned to Syria.

Israel captured the whole eastern shore along with the surrounding plateau in the war. The shoreline has since receded.

Moualem would not be drawn on the exact territorial lines Syria considers its borders. Control of the shoreline has been a major point of contention between the two sides, especially as Israel uses the lake as its main reservoir.

The late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, father of the current president, seeking to prove the land belonged to Syria, told former U.S. President Bill Clinton he used to swim in the Sea of Galilee before 1967. He refused to sign a deal he considered fell short of liberating the whole of the Golan. Continued…

Russia recognizes Georgia's two secessionist regions: In the Guardian, here:

"…Declaring that if his decision meant a new cold war, then so be it, President Dmitri Medvedev signed a decree conferring Russian recognition on Georgia's two secessionist regions. The move flouted UN security council resolutions and dismissed western insistence during the crisis of the past three weeks on respecting Georgia's territorial integrity and international borders…"

Jordan sends humanitarian aid to South Ossetia: The aid was promised by King Abdullah II during his Sunday meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Bush condemns Russia's "irresponsible decision." According to the BBC:

US President George Bush warned his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, that his “irresponsible decision” was exacerbating tensions in the region.

Syria, Iran warm to Russia as US tensions grow: The Associated Press
By Sam Ghattas

Syria's President Bashar Assad has publicly stepped up his outreach to old ally Russia in recent days, seeking aid to build up Syrian military forces and offering Moscow help in return — in an apparent effort to exploit a new Russian-American rift.

U.S. officials have noticed: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Mideast leaders this week that they should worry about Syria's efforts to gain more sophisticated weapons.

Syria's long-term aim, however, remains unclear, in part because Assad also continues to pursue peace efforts with Israel — a key U.S. and European goal — even as he makes overtures to Russia that are sure to antagonize the West. Syria has a long history of apparently contradictory diplomatic moves as it maneuvers to find options and balance its interests.

Yet the latest Syrian moves feed directly into larger Western fears that the Russian-American standoff — prompted by Russia's invasion of Georgia — could lead Russia to provide more military and diplomatic aid to a host of countries and militant groups the United States sees as troublesome.

"The Russian move into Georgia has begun a tectonic shift in the (Mideast) region," said Joshua Landis, a Syria expert in the United States. "It has emboldened Syria, Hezbollah and Iran to push harder against Israel and the U.S."…..

Syria and Iran: an Alliance of Convenience: Huffington Post, by Alon Ben-Meir

UNIFIL: Extensive smuggling continues on Lebanon-Syria border

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رايح ومش راجع: المجلس العدلي طلب عقوبة الاعدام للعقيد القذافي في قضية اختفاء الامام الصدر
» ‎ Syria Planet

المجلس العدلي طلب عقوبة الاعدام للعقيد القذافي في قضية اختفاء الامام الصدر

بيروت - وطنية- 27/8/2008 (قضاء)

أصدر قاضي التحقيق العدلي سميح الحاج، في قضية اختفاء الامام موسى الصدر ورفيقيه الشيخ محمد يعقوب والصحافي عباس بدر الدين في آب من العام 1978، قراره الاتهامي وفقا وخلافا لمطالعة النائب العام لدى المجلس العدلي القاضي سعيد ميرزا، وفيه طلب عقوبة الاعدام لرئيس الجمهورية الليبية العقيد معمر بن محمد ابو منيار القذافي الذي اوقف غيابيا بتاريخ 24/4/2008 ولا يزال فارا من وجه العدالة لجهة التحريض على خطف وحجز حرية كل من الامام موسى الصدر والشيخ يعقوب والصحافي بدر الدين، كما طلب العقوبة عينها لستة من معاوني العقيد القدافي اوقفوا غيابيا في 2/8/2007 ولا يزالوا فارين من وجه العدالة لجهة الاشتراك في خطف الامام ورفيقيه. وسطر مذكرة تحر دائم توصلا الى معرفة كامل هوية كل من احد عشر شخص آخرين.

وجاء في خلاصة القرار:

“نقرر وفقا وخلافا للمطالعة:

- اولاً: اتهام المدعى عليه معمر القذافي المبينة هويته اعلاه بمقتضى المادة 569/218 من قانون العقوبات اللبناني لجهة التحريض على خطف وحجز حرية كل من سماحة الامام السيد موسى الصدر وفضيلة الشيخ محمد يعقوب والصحافي عباس بدر الدين، الجريمة الحاصلة بتاريخ 31/8/1978.

- ثانياً: اتهام كل من المدعى عليهم: المرغني مسعود التومي، احمد محمد الحطاب، الهادي ابراهيم مصطفى السعداوي، عبد الرحمن محمد غويلة، محمد خليفة بن سحيون، وعيسى مسعود عبدالله المنصوري، المبينة كامل هوياتهم اعلاه، بمقتضى المادة 569/213 من قانون العقوبات اللبناني لجهة اقدامهم على الاشتراك في خطف الامام الصدر ورفيقيه.

- ثالثاً: اتهام المدعى عليهم: العقيد معمر القذافي، المرغني مسعود التومي، احمد محمد الحطاب، الهادي ابراهيم مصطفى السعداوي، عبد الرحمن محمد غويلة، محمد خليفة بن سحيون وعيسى مسعود عبدالله المنصوري، بمقتضى احكام المادة الثانية من قانون 11/1/1958.

- رابعاً: الظن بالمدعى عليهم المذكورين في البند ثالثا اعلاه، بالجنح المنصوص عنها في المواد 317 و463 و 463/454/213 و392/213 عقوبات.

- خامساً: اصدار مذكرة القاء قبض بحق كل من المدعى عليهم المذكورين اعلاه وسوقهم مخفورين الى محل التوقيف التابع للمجلس العدلي في بيروت.

- سادساً: اتباع الجنحة بالجناية لعلة التلازم.

- سابعاً: تسطير مذكرة تحر دائم توصلا لمعرفة كامل هوية كل من المدعى عليهم: عبد السلام جلود، محمود محمد بن كورة، احمد الاطرش، عيسى البعباع، عاشور الفرطاس، علي عبد السلام التريكي، احمد شحاته، احمد مسعود صالح ترهون، ابراهيم خليفة عمر، محمد بن علي الرحيبي ومحمد ولد دادا.

- ثامناً: تدريك المتهمين والاظناء الرسوم والنفقات كافة.

- تاسعاً: اعادة الاوراق الى جانب النائب العام لدى المجلس العدلي لايداعها مرجعها المختص.

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Maysaloon - ميسلون:
» ‎ Syria Planet

"Another unforgettable memory will be Georgia's flak-jacketed president cowering on the ground as a Russian plane flies over the town of Gori. Bravado turning into humiliation is a metaphor for the whole foolish adventure. Georgian men are hospitable and engaging, but fond of bombast and empty macho gestures. Unlike the Chechens, who have fought Russians for centuries, Georgians prefer poetry and vineyards to the challenge of war."
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A Peek into Others' mind » August 27, 2008

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