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 [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Syria’
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 »
“It’s Time to Finish the Job:” Biggie’s Take on the Region (Christmas Conversations, Volume II)
Posted in Hizbullah, Lebanon, tagged Arab Spring, Christmas, Iran, Lebanon, Oil, Steve Jobs, Syria on January 19, 2012 | 2 Comments »
As if the advice and probing questions of “Guest” weren’t enough, I’ve had to sift through hours of tape to bring you the best of “Biggie’s” take on the region. While that’s not a problem from an entertainment standpoint, it’s a little frustrating to listen to successive barbs directed towards you in what amounts to a [...]
“Go Back to America:” The Guest Strikes Again (Christmas Conversations, Volume II)
Posted in Lebanon, tagged Arab Spring, Christmas, Conversation, Lebanon, Steve Jobs, Syria on January 13, 2012 | 2 Comments »
Year after year, “Guest” has entertained the family with his worldly take on politics and culture. He’s an experienced traveler who’s done business in all kinds of places. In our conversations, Guest has developed a new international relations discipline that I’ll call “Realist Conservative Conspiratory Casual (RC3).” For the most part, his speculations are merely [...]
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, [...]
Get Real: Hizbullah Won’t Let an Adverse Indictment Slide
Posted in Hizbullah, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Levant, tagged Hariri case, Hizbullah, Iran, Israel, Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Syria on December 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
The Lebanese never learn. For years, Hizbullah convinced many Lebanese that it would not turn its weapons against them. Shiites, Sunnis, Druze, and Christians all bought into that myth. Some believed wholeheartedly that Hizbullah would remain focused on Israel, while others saw no other choice but to acquiesce to realities on the ground. After all, the Lebanese had [...]