About a month ago, Christopher Hitchens, one of the great English-language essayists of our time, passed away. In the time since that unfortunate loss, a flood of obituaries has honored the man. According to the standard accounts, Hitchens was a writer, a rascal, and advocate possessing a remarkable talent for provoking and alienating others – even when [...]
Archive for the ‘Syria’ Category
Mr. Hitchens Goes to Beirut: Lessons on Violence and Silence in the Levant
Posted in Lebanon, Levant, Syria, tagged AUB, Beirut, Dissent, Hamra, Hitchens, Lebanon, SSNP, Syria, Violence on January 26, 2012 | 7 Comments »
The Big Cat’s Out of the Bag: A Moment of Truth, a Lifetime of Duplicity from Bashar al-Assad
Posted in Israel, Lebanon, Levant, Syria, tagged Arab Spring, Assad, Duplicity, Syria, Violence on December 13, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad keeps making all the wrong moves. In a recent interview with ABC’s Barbara Walters, the former doctor sounded more like a butcher – and a heartless one at that. He lied and deflected questions. He made light of a dire situation. He rejected international conventions and global standards on news reporting, [...]
Tell ‘Em Why You Mad, Son! Understanding Lebanon’s Uncivil Political Discourse
Posted in Lebanon, Levant, March 14, March 8, Syria, tagged Alawites, Alloush, Assad regime, Brawl, Fight, Lebanese, Politicians, Pride, Sunnis, Syrian revolution on November 16, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
A few days ago, two Lebanese politicians literally went at each other’s throats on national television. Setting aside a moment of personal glee - I like a good Lebanese smackdown every now and again (see Qifa Nabki for a list of the best) - the incident was both disappointing and extraordinarily dangerous. For that reason, in contrast to my usual pattern, [...]
Another Ripple: The STL Indictment Trickles Down to Lebanon
Posted in Hizbullah, Lebanon, Levant, March 14, March 8, Shiites, Sunnis, Syria, tagged Badreddine, Daniel Fransen, Hariri assassination, Hizbullah, Mughniyeh, Special Tribunal for Lebanon on June 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
After six years of delay and anticipation, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) has issued the first of a series of indictments relating to the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. According to an STL press release, Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen has determined that Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare’s first indictment presents “prima facie evidence for this case to [...]
Dispatches from Damascus: Where to Look for Updates on Syria
Posted in Middle East, Syria on March 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Dissent in Syria has led to some fascinating, but sometimes utterly gruesome, human stories. Obviously, it is far too early to tell whether protestors can succeed in securing reform or overthrowing the Baath regime. In any case, any form of sustained dissent in Syria will have consequences far beyond the country’s borders. The following sources should [...]
Christmas Conversations (Part II): “At Least We Still Have Tabbouleh”
Posted in Christians, Hizbullah, Iran, Lebanon, Middle East, Syria, tagged Aoun, Christmas, Geagea, Hizbullah, Lebanese Christians, Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Stuxnet on December 28, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Another premium selection from 2010′s Christmas Conversations… Family Member 1 “Fuck politics. Lebanon is good for arak and kibbeh nayyieh. [The Lebanese] have been killing each other for generations. We’ve had a damn crisis every ten years or so. But we’ve still got our kibbeh nayyieh, arak – and tabbouleh and hummus – and that’s [...]
Regional Context: Articles to Read
Posted in Iran, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United States on October 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Selected reading for information only, as it is worth keeping the regional game in mind. This post does not endorse or reject the content of these articles… The National Newspaper (UAE) on Syria-Saudi ties: http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090710/FOREIGN/707099796/1011/rss Foreign Policy on the “Other Threat” from Iran: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/10/02/the_other_ticking_clock_in_iran Council on Foreign Relations on US-Iran relations: http://www.cfr.org/publication/20344/road_ahead_for_usiran_relations.html?breadcrumb=%2F
Right ‘Round, Right ‘Round
Posted in Druze, Hizbullah, Lebanon, March 14, March 8, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United States, tagged communal politics, Hariri, Jumblatt on August 21, 2009 | 1 Comment »
He’s done it again. Walid Jumblatt has left the March 14 coalition – or maybe not. Being the leader of the fiercely proud and historically influential Druze minority, “Walid Beik” operates to keep his community secure and his dynasty relevant. With that said, it appears that three trends have led Jumblatt to move away from [...]
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