Middle East Thread of Despair: More Broken Than Syria

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Middle East Thread of Despair: More Broken Than Syria

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Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

The election's not yet over, but

Down with the next president

SCAF also just lifted the state of emergency

# ? May 31, 2012 23:15

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 13:54

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

gently caress, wrong thread.

Brown Moses fucked around with this message at 23:35 on May 31, 2012

# ? May 31, 2012 23:30

something original: Sep 9, 2011

This is a pessimistic and relatively long article on the presidential elections in Egypt. But it's interesting, among other insights and speculation he talks about why he thinks Sabbahi would be the ideal president for SCAF.

quote:

A surprise success in the election, the Nasserist candidate who was virtually unknown to most Egyptians just a few months ago was able to secure substantial numbers and win huge metropolitan areas like Cairo, Alexandria (a Salafi stronghold), Port Said, Suez and Giza. With a shabby, underfunded campaign and limited television spots during the run-up to the vote, Sabbahi seems to have soared precisely because of the lackluster image, overexposure, and polarizing rhetoric of other candidates. Either way, he has become an instant sensation once the results suggested Morsy and Shafiq came out on top. Since then, he has been a sought-after television guest, and Egyptians flocked to support him online and in rallies, all hoping he may be vindicated with admission into the second round.

But Sabbahi is not without his quirks. With the deep state digging into the very viscera of Egyptian politics, is there no suspicion in his unexplainable glowing success? Is it possible that he may in fact be the one groomed to arrive on a white horse to sweep a runoff against Morsy by unifying revolutionaries, the poor, the wealthy, the liberal and secular, the Islamists, the former regime, and everyone but the Brotherhood, all while not alarming SCAF?

# ? May 31, 2012 23:45

that Vai sound: Mar 6, 2011

Brown Moses posted:

This first two minutes has to be the weirdest video I've seen from Syria:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc8B4Nmow38
I don't know if it's serious or not.

The beginning reminds me of the PMC ads in Metal Gear Solid 4.

# ? Jun 1, 2012 01:59

SexyBlindfold: Apr 24, 2008; i dont care how much probation i get capital letters are for squares hehe im so laid back an nice please read my low effort shitposts about the arab spring

thanxs!!!

something original posted:

This is a pessimistic and relatively long article on the presidential elections in Egypt. But it's interesting, among other insights and speculation he talks about why he thinks Sabbahi would be the ideal president for SCAF.

painting Sabbahi as some sort of manchurian candidate or a SCAF plant sounds like a stretch considering his detention record, but i'll concede that a highly polarized country placing its hopes behind a populist does have some potential for disaster

then again literally every single deed undertaken within egyptian borders in the last couple of months has some potential for disaster

# ? Jun 1, 2012 02:21

something original: Sep 9, 2011

A previously unknown group called "Syrian Revolutionaries - Aleppo Province" said they are the ones who kidnapped the Lebanese pilgrims and all they ask is a personal apology from Hezbollah leader Nasrallah (to the Syrian people I guess) in exchange for releasing the hostages. As a proof they sent photos of the pilgrims and their passports to Al Jazeera.

Syrian Revolutionaries - Aleppo Province posted:

Our problem is not with any particular community but with those who assist in the suppression of the uprising.

The declaration itself is effective anti-Nasrallah propaganda and an attempt to put the spotlight on Hezbollah's part in the conflict.

Someone tweeted this which I found amusing, I don't know if it's true or not but the owner of the tweet seems like a pro-Hezbollah activist so I don't think it's sarcasm:

quote:

Families of11 abducted Lebanese refused to allow Nasrallah to apologies to the captives, refusing the humiliation of our noble resistance.

something original fucked around with this message at 15:05 on Jun 1, 2012

# ? Jun 1, 2012 15:03

Svartvit: Jun 18, 2005; al-Qabila samaa Bahth

A bunch of no-name punks stumbles upon a group of Lebanese Shias and thinks they're somehow being a part of the cause. That's what it seems to me.

# ? Jun 1, 2012 15:32

SexyBlindfold: Apr 24, 2008; i dont care how much probation i get capital letters are for squares hehe im so laid back an nice please read my low effort shitposts about the arab spring

thanxs!!!

oh hey, a bunch of dicks dicking a dick around. cool

e: it is not actually cool

# ? Jun 1, 2012 18:57

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Did that story ever pan out, Brown Moses?

UAE cracking down on dissidents
http://www.voanews.com/content/uae-crackdown-on-dissidents-intensifies/1146137.html

quote:

The future of seven Islamist activists stripped of their nationalities and imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates remains in doubt after a court this week rejected a request to return the men�s Emirati passports. It is the latest incident in what appears to be an intensifying crackdown on dissent by authorities in the Gulf nation worried that regional unrest could spread to their shores.

The seven men, who are all members of the Reform and Social Guidance Association (al-Islah), had their citizenship revoked in December over alleged terror links, and they were arrested in April after refusing to obtain new nationalities.

Their lawyer, Mohammad al-Roken, says he was prohibited from meeting with the men before the court announced Thursday it was dismissing their appeal for reinstatement of their citizenship.

"We are going to appeal against this decision. In the meantime, we have filed a new case challenging the presidential decree that was passed last December on the grounds that this decree is unconstitutional," said al-Roken.

According to the government, the men - commonly referred to as the UAE 7 - pose a threat to state security, but Samer Muscati from Human Rights Watch says there is insufficient evidence to support the claim.

"If you look at the records of these men, they�re not specifically identified with any criminal activity," said Muscati. "The only reason they appear to be rounded up is because of their membership in al-Islah."

Rights groups say 15 political activists are currently under arrest in the UAE. Almost all of them are al-Islah members who signed a petition last year calling for a more representative government in the country.

Al-Islah adheres to the same Islamic principals as the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood, but is not officially linked to the group.

The UAE and its Gulf Arab neighbors perceive the Muslim Brotherhood as being anti-monarchy and a threat to the ruling families of the region.

The ongoing oppression of al-Islah has caused divisions among Emiratis.

However, Christopher Davidson, a lecturer in Middle East politics at Durham University, says citizens who object to what is happening will likely remain quiet because of the generous welfare provided by the government.

"Crucially, we�re not seeing vast swaths of the population supporting these gentlemen and that�s to be expected given that most people are financially appeased," said Davidson. "So we�re not going to see much sympathy for these individuals apart from a few quiet murmurings or anonymous posts on social media."

The UAE�s crackdown on perceived opposition figures grabbed international headlines last year when five activists were convicted of anti-state crimes. They were later pardoned by the president, but one of the men, who is stateless, was rearrested last month and faces deportation.

Rori Donaghy, from the Emirates Centre for Human Rights, says the UAE�s hardline approach is likely to backfire if it carries on.

"The UAE should stop locking up people who are calling for democracy and start talking to them because that�s the only way the national unity will be preserved and the stability of the UAE seen into the future," said Donaghy.

And Mubarak is apparently doing well, living comfortably in a hospital. His verdict is expected tomorrow.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/01/egypt-trial-mubarak-idUSL5E8H1IF820120601 posted:

CAIRO, June 1 (Reuters) - Hosni Mubarak has appeared in court lying on a stretcher during his trial, where he faces a verdict on Saturday, but Egypt's former president is living in a comfortable hospital where he is free to see relatives, walk in the garden and exercise, news reports and a source said this week.

Reuters has confirmed the account in Egyptian newspaper Al-Watan through a source who works at the hospital and requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject.

The newspaper depicted the 84-year-old Mubarak, ousted in an uprising in February 2011, as a cosseted retired official, exercising and swimming as doctors and family attend to his needs at Cairo's International Medical Center (IMC).

Mubarak occupies a large suite with adjacent rooms for visitors, a swimming pool and a gym outfitted with the latest exercise equipment, Al-Watan said in its report published on Tuesday. It said Mubarak had been visited by Arab leaders of Gulf countries of Kuwait, Oman and the UAE.

The account confirmed reports in other domestic newspapers in the past months that have shown Mubarak, who is formally under arrest, as far more healthy than he appears in the court room, where he lies on his back on a stretcher.

"Mubarak is in excellent health. The former president will likely remain with us even after the verdict comes out," the hospital source, who has seen the former leader, told Reuters.

The source said Mubarak was free to walk around the garden or swim in a pool, and had a team of doctors including a physiotherapist. Mubarak also received visitors from the Arab world and the ruling military council.

"This is the best place for him. There is a plane and an airstrip at the hospital to allow for safe movement," the source added.

Mubarak is on trial for complicity in killings of protesters and the verdict could reverberate across an Arab world in the throes of political change. If found guilty, he could face from three years in prison to the death sentence, according to assessments from New York-based Human Rights Watch.

The ruling on Saturday also comes in the middle of a presidential election that pits two polarising candidates against each other: the Muslim Brotherhood, banned under Mubarak, and the deposed leader's last prime minister.

Mubarak's critics, including members of parliament, have demanded that he be moved to Torah prison just like his two sons Gamal and Alaa, who are also on trial. But Interior Ministry officials have said the prison was not equipped for Mubarak's health needs.

"NO ARRANGEMENTS TO MOVE HIM"

"He will not be imprisoned. He will live out his sentence here," the source said. "There are no arrangements to move him out of here."

Since he was flown to Cairo from the seaside resort of Sharm al-Sheikh in August 2011 at the start of the trial, Mubarak has resided in the IMC, a large medical compound located on the outskirts of Cairo.

Mubarak's wife Suzanne has sought to keep him in good spirits by bringing him especially made food or buying him new training suits, the source said. "He does not like the hospital food here," the source added.

Mubarak chats with his security men and enjoys most the company of his grandchildren, the source said.

His wife and doctors seek to shield Mubarak from often-critical news coverage of his rule and prevent him from watching television or reading papers, which can upset him.

Mubarak was criticised by officials in the military council for failing to appoint a vice president during his three decades of rule, a criticism that has angered him, according to the source. "He feels no one understands what he has done for Egypt."

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who heads the military council, has promised to hand over power to an elected president by July 1. (Editing by Alessandra Rizzo)

# ? Jun 1, 2012 23:41

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Xandu posted:

Did that story ever pan out, Brown Moses?

Which one? The phone hacking related one had lawyers clog up the works so it's progressing slowly, and the Cairo kidnapping is in the hands of local journalists and human rights groups. I'm not touching that one, don't fancy pissing off the UAE.

# ? Jun 2, 2012 09:21

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Mubarak just got sentenced to life in prison.

# ? Jun 2, 2012 09:24

Miguel Angel Face: Apr 1, 2012; I AM THE GHOST OF DON BRASH FROM 2005, IF YOU DON'T SAY "ONE LAW FOR ALL" FIVE TIMES IN THE MIRROR I'LL COME INTO YOUR THREAD TONIGHT AND SPOUT RACIST DOGWHISTLES FOR TWENTY PAGES

Brown Moses posted:

Mubarak just got sentenced to life in prison.

And all of the police commanders have been acquitted.

Doesn't seem like a strong result for the new judiciary.

# ? Jun 2, 2012 11:56

Mokotow: Apr 16, 2012

Miguel Angel Face posted:

And all of the police commanders have been acquitted.

Doesn't seem like a strong result for the new judiciary.

The acquittal Is more of a deal between the new power and the "strong arm" of the country. The military/police are saying basically that they are legimitizing the new power, and in return, they expect a clean slate. Sure, it's not democracy at work, but it moves things forward. Sadly, it also means that once you're in a position of power, you can do all sorts of nasty things to your people and get away scott free.

# ? Jun 2, 2012 12:43

SexyBlindfold: Apr 24, 2008; i dont care how much probation i get capital letters are for squares hehe im so laid back an nice please read my low effort shitposts about the arab spring

thanxs!!!

Brown Moses posted:

Mubarak just got sentenced to life in prison.

Miguel Angel Face posted:

And all of the police commanders have been acquitted.

Doesn't seem like a strong result for the new judiciary.

eh, to be honest it's more than Chile got so I can't be too pessimistic about this

# ? Jun 2, 2012 13:15

cloudchamber: Aug 6, 2010; You know what the Ukraine is? It's a sitting duck. A road apple, Newman. The Ukraine is weak. It's feeble. I think it's time to put the hurt on the Ukraine

What the hell...

@hebamorayef posted:

Judge said that there was no evidence submitted by prosecution that bullets that killed victims came from police #Prosecutionfail

cloudchamber fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Sep 4, 2014

# ? Jun 2, 2012 13:32

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Here's a question for any tattoo experts, this video just came out of Syria supposedly show Hezbollah forcibly tattooing the heads of Syrian's in revenge for the kidnap of some Lebanese citizens. I think it's possibly bullshit, but I don't know enough about tattooing to know for sure. Can anyone shed any light on it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIvqYZYHtoE

# ? Jun 2, 2012 15:36

Fizzil: Aug 24, 2005; There are five fucks at the edge of a cliff...

Brown Moses posted:

Here's a question for any tattoo experts, this video just came out of Syria supposedly show Hezbollah forcibly tattooing the heads of Syrian's in revenge for the kidnap of some Lebanese citizens. I think it's possibly bullshit, but I don't know enough about tattooing to know for sure. Can anyone shed any light on it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIvqYZYHtoE

Well the problem is both sects in islam forbid tattoos, the guys hand is heavily tattoo'd, has tattoo equipment and such, it honestly looks dubious but i wouldn't really know, having committed a haram/sin in islam isn't eternal damnation to hell though, which is why people can drink, have tattoos and whatever in the middle east so your mileage may vary.

# ? Jun 2, 2012 16:30

Jarmak: Jan 24, 2005

Fizzil posted:

Well the problem is both sects in islam forbid tattoos, the guys hand is heavily tattoo'd, has tattoo equipment and such, it honestly looks dubious but i wouldn't really know, having committed a haram/sin in islam isn't eternal damnation to hell though, which is why people can drink, have tattoos and whatever in the middle east so your mileage may vary.

I'm not sure if this is relevant but this reminded me of an AP story I read awhile ago that mentioned the rise of popularity of tattoos in Iraqi youth since the American occupation,I know this is very thin speculation but perhaps it is feeding a broader trend?

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1093070--iraqi-youth-embrace-rap-and-tattoos-a-legacy-of-u-s-soldiers posted:

�Iraqi youth are eager in a very unusual way to get tattoo on their bodies, probably because of the American presence here,� said Hakim, 32, who is attending graduate school at Baghdad�s Fine Arts Academy. �Four years ago, people were concealing their tattoos when in public, but now they use their designs to show off. It is the vogue now.�

(sorry for this lovely site but I originally read it in print media and this was what popped up, its an AP article anyway)

Probably not, but I though it was at least a curious sidenote.

# ? Jun 2, 2012 17:47

El Ste: Aug 22, 2010

Miguel Angel Face posted:

And all of the police commanders have been acquitted.

Doesn't seem like a strong result for the new judiciary.

And his sons were acquitted. Mubarak was charged with being an accessory to murder. That doesn't hold up as proper proof of the conviction in either Egyptian or International courts. Basically nothing significant happened today. The whole case is completely vulnerable to being picked apart upon appeal. Especially so if Shafik, Mubarak's last Prime Minister, wins the election.

# ? Jun 2, 2012 18:40

something original: Sep 9, 2011

US ambassador to Syria says they detected a possible mass grave in Houla via satellite image and a BBC image.

quote:

This image shows a May 18, 2012 photo of a square in Tall Daww, Haoula in Syria side-by-side with a May 28, 2012 image of the same square. The dotted area in the May 28, 2012 image shows that the ground had been recently disturbed which tracks with the May 26 BBC image from the same location.

He also says that Iranian Relovitonary Guard is arming and training the Sabbiha which IIRC they already admitted.

# ? Jun 2, 2012 20:25

Sivias: Dec 12, 2006; I think we can just sit around and just talk about our feelings.

Wasn't this the burial of the 109?
Or is this just coming out as more proof and evidence?

# ? Jun 2, 2012 22:04

something original: Sep 9, 2011

Sivias posted:

Wasn't this the burial of the 109?
Or is this just coming out as more proof and evidence?

Yeah, there was only amateur footage so it's their way of trying to confirm.

# ? Jun 2, 2012 22:57

Jarmak: Jan 24, 2005

something original posted:

US ambassador to Syria says they detected a possible mass grave in Houla via satellite image and a BBC image.

He also says that Iranian Relovitonary Guard is arming and training the Sabbiha which IIRC they already admitted.

My reasoning side knows it may be counter-productive, but am I the only one who is just pissed off and wants to unleash the full power of NATO on these assholes? I'm already scheduled to go back to Afghanistan and I'd much rather go here (though I know its very unrealistic)

# ? Jun 2, 2012 23:42

SexyBlindfold: Apr 24, 2008; i dont care how much probation i get capital letters are for squares hehe im so laid back an nice please read my low effort shitposts about the arab spring

thanxs!!!

Jarmak posted:

My reasoning side knows it may be counter-productive, but am I the only one who is just pissed off and wants to unleash the full power of NATO on these assholes? I'm already scheduled to go back to Afghanistan and I'd much rather go here (though I know its very unrealistic)

the feeling of impotent rage is more than understandable, but without wanting to be alarmist i'm pretty sure the mayhem and chaos an international intervention would cause in Syria would make Afghanistan look like Grenada

# ? Jun 3, 2012 00:48

az jan jananam: Sep 6, 2011; HI, I'M HARDCORE SAX HERE TO DROP A NICE JUICY TURD OF A POST FROM UP ON HIGH

A video of Hosni Mubarak supporters and opposers outside of his trial reacting to his verdict. The supporters at the beginning holding up signs that say "Hosni Mubarak - The Legend". The Salafist at 2:14 is yelling "This isn't enough! He must be executed!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwrjkk8acds

# ? Jun 3, 2012 01:51

Sivias: Dec 12, 2006; I think we can just sit around and just talk about our feelings.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/06/201262114654512204.html

Kofi Annan warning of an all-out sectarian war in Syria.

For some reason at the :20 second mark they have Mr. Annan being translated and then translated back into English. :iiam:

Sivias fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Jun 3, 2012

# ? Jun 3, 2012 02:34

Jarmak: Jan 24, 2005

SexyBlindfold posted:

the feeling of impotent rage is more than understandable, but without wanting to be alarmist i'm pretty sure the mayhem and chaos an international intervention would cause in Syria would make Afghanistan look like Grenada

Ya, I know you're right, and that is what makes the whole thing that much more frustrating. Sorry for the low-content outburst, but along the same lines, its just loving infuriating.

# ? Jun 3, 2012 05:52

RandomPauI: Nov 24, 2006; Grimey Drawer

I was watching the Assad speech to parliament. It'd be hard to turn it into a drinking game. He couldn't get by a minute without bringing up terrorism, foreigners, or the political process.

# ? Jun 3, 2012 09:36

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Aside from all the killing some other stuff has been happening in Syria

quote:

Syria bans US and European diplomats

Syria has barred a string of US and European diplomats, saying they are "no longer welcome" in the country, but has signed an agreement to admit humanitarian aid.

Last week, western nations expelled Syrian diplomats in a co-ordinated move over the Houla massacre, in which more than 100 people were slaughtered over one weekend in a cluster of small villages.

The UN says pro-regime gunmen were believed to be responsible for at least some of the killings. President Bashar Assad has insisted his forces had nothing to do with the massacre.

The countries targeted by the expulsion order have already withdrawn their ambassadors from Damascus, but the move shows how far diplomatic ties have disintegrated over the course of the uprising, which began in March last year.

"Some countries have informed our diplomatic missions and our embassies' staff that they are unwelcome," Jihad Makdessi, a foreign ministry spokesman, said in a statement.

He said Damascus had decided to take a "reciprocal measure" against ambassadors from the US, Britain, Turkey, Switzerland, France, Italy and Spain. A number of French, German, Canadian, Bulgarian and Belgian diplomats also were affected, Makdessi said.

Meanwhile, aid workers and supplies will be allowed to enter four provinces after the Syrian government agreed to a written deal with the UN and other international organisations.

The agreement with Damascus and representatives of the government in Geneva should allow convoys with supplies and aid workers from nine UN agencies and seven other non-governmental organisations to enter Deraa, Deir el-Zour, Homs and Idlib within days, said John Ging of the UN office for the co-ordination of humanitarian affairs.

"Whether this is a breakthrough or not will be measured in the coming weeks," Ging told reporters in Geneva after emerging from a closed session to discuss the dire humanitarian situation in Syria.

Ging said the government had pledged to grant visas and clear up other bureaucratic hurdles blocking help from being delivered, and he hoped workers and supplies would enter within "days not weeks".

He said at least 1 million Syrians were in urgent need of some form of humanitarian aid, including people injured during the fighting and families who had lost jobs or homes.

More than 78,000 Syrian refugees were also being helped in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, the UN refugee agency said.

Russia has also stated the Assad remaining in power wouldn't necessarily be a pre-condition to any peace plan they'd be involved with.

# ? Jun 5, 2012 15:45

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

While working on my Syria listings project I came across this rather interesting Youtube Channel, FSA Help, which has a series of videos for budding freedom fighters on various topics, including offensive knife fighting, rebuilding various weapons, and a number of other handy tips.

# ? Jun 5, 2012 20:23

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

I didn't really get the criticism of her for interviewing al-Assad, but this is pretty terrible.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...r-al-Assad.html

quote:

Emails seen by The Daily Telegraph show that Walters tried to help Sheherazad Jaafari, the daughter of Syria's UN ambassador, secure a place at an Ivy League university and an internship with Piers Morgan's CNN programme.

When confronted with the emails, which were obtained by a Syrian opposition group, the 82-year-old ABC broadcaster admitted a conflict of interest and expressed "regret" for her actions.

Miss Jaafari, 22, was a close adviser to Mr Assad and was at his side as Syrian troops stepped up their campaign of killing and repression. She would speak to him several times a day, sometimes calling him "the Dude" in her adopted American accent, and was sometimes the only official in the room when he did interviews with Western journalists.
Miss Jaafari, whose father Bashar Jaafari has known Walters for around seven years, began dealing with the broadcaster late last year as ABC News lobbied for an interview with Mr Assad.

Walters's interview in December � the first with an American television network � made headlines around the world as Mr Assad denied he was responsible for the crackdown which had already resulted in thousands of deaths in Syria. The emails show that, after the interview, Miss Jaafari and Walters stayed in close contact.

When Miss Jaafari returned to New York she reached out again to Walters, whom she referred to as her "adopted mother". In return, Walters called her "dear girl" and sometimes signed off "Hugs, Barbara".
They met for lunch at the Mark Hotel on Manhattan's Upper East Side in late January, where Miss Jaafari apparently asked for a job at ABC News. Walters said she refused but offered to use her contacts to help her in other ways.

Shortly afterwards, Walters emailed the young Syrian saying: "I wrote to Piers Morgan and his producer to say how terrific you are and attached your r�sum�." She also asked whether Miss Jaafari was still planning on applying to Columbia University and offered to help.

A week later, Walters emailed Richard Wald, a professor at the Columbia School of Journalism and the father of Jonathan Wald, Morgan's executive producer.

Walters described Miss Jaafari as "brilliant, beautiful, [and] speaks five languages" and asked whether there was "anything you can do to help?" Prof Wald replied that he would get the admissions office to "give her special attention".

Neither Professor Wald nor Columbia returned a request for comment.

Miss Jaafari did not ultimately get the internship nor the university place.

Walters was one of only a handful of Americans invited to a private party hosted by the ambassador in March 2011, the same month that the uprising against the Assad regime began. The only other journalist on the guest list was a reporter from Press TV, Iran's state-owned television channel. She did not attend the event.
The broadcaster is currently the host of The View, a daytime talk show, but over a decades-long career has interviewed many of the biggest figures in American politics and culture. Her interview with Monica Lewinsky after her affair with Bill Clinton attracted a record 74 million viewers.

In a statement, Walters said: "In the aftermath [of the Assad interview], Ms Jaafari returned to the US and contacted me looking for a job. I told her that was a serious conflict of interest and that we would not hire her. I did offer to mention her to contacts at another media organisation and in academia, though she didn't get a job or into school. In retrospect, I realise that this created a conflict and I regret that."

Miss Jaafari was part of a young circle of aides who advised Mr Assad to speak to the Western media as evidence of atrocities mounted. When he agreed to the interview with Walters in December, Miss Jaafari wrote a list of talking points advising that the "American psyche can be easily manipulated" if he were to make a limited expression of regret. Miss Jaafari did not respond to phone calls, texts or emails.

# ? Jun 5, 2012 21:29

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

I've been putting together a list of Bambuser profile, Youtube channels and Facebook pages for various cities in Syria, and the first bunch are up on my blog. I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to display how active they are on my blog, to make it easier to pick up on active channels as quite a few go quiet for a few weeks.

Alex Thomson also has another great blog from Syria, this time about he massive difference between different parts of Homs.

# ? Jun 5, 2012 22:05

limited: Dec 10, 2005; Limited Sanity

Brown Moses posted:

Syria Bans US and European diplomats.

So who's actually left in country at this point? I've lost track. Russia is still in I guess?

Naturally the aid will be cornered by one side or the other, in varying, delightful ways that will involve brutality and gunfire, and none of the folks actually taking cover will get it.

That of course assumes nobody drops a shell on the actual convoys before it even gets anywhere near the zones. Nothing like adding aid workers to the death toll. :sigh:

# ? Jun 5, 2012 23:17

BCR: Jan 23, 2011

Why liberals got it wrong and Islamists obliged
Islamists didn't hijack the Egyptian revolution; liberals never had the numbers to carry it off, writes Rahim Elkishky

Take it for what its worth from an Egyptian government paper.

# ? Jun 6, 2012 01:56

Ham: Apr 30, 2009; You're BALD!

Here's a lovely video of our presidential candidate and his entourage talking about Israel and the Jews, the new caliphate and Jerusalem as a capital. Pretty funny:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXvIYD30yAY

Ham fucked around with this message at 14:28 on Jun 6, 2012

# ? Jun 6, 2012 14:24

Zedsdeadbaby: Jun 14, 2008; You have been called out, in the ways of old.

Ham posted:

Here's a lovely video of our presidential candidate and his entourage talking about Israel and the Jews, the new caliphate and Jerusalem as a capital. Pretty funny:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXvIYD30yAY

Are the guys in Israel worried about this or do they see it as hollow posturing?

# ? Jun 6, 2012 15:34

cloudchamber: Aug 6, 2010; You know what the Ukraine is? It's a sitting duck. A road apple, Newman. The Ukraine is weak. It's feeble. I think it's time to put the hurt on the Ukraine

Zedsdeadbaby posted:

Are the guys in Israel worried about this or do they see it as hollow posturing?

It's nothing they haven't heard before.

# ? Jun 6, 2012 15:54

az jan jananam: Sep 6, 2011; HI, I'M HARDCORE SAX HERE TO DROP A NICE JUICY TURD OF A POST FROM UP ON HIGH

cloudchamber posted:

It's nothing they haven't heard before.

They haven't heard it from the Egyptian leadership in 30 years.

az jan jananam fucked around with this message at 17:01 on Jun 6, 2012

# ? Jun 6, 2012 16:16

az jan jananam: Sep 6, 2011; HI, I'M HARDCORE SAX HERE TO DROP A NICE JUICY TURD OF A POST FROM UP ON HIGH

It hasn't hit the English news yet but Arabic media is reporting another major massacre in Syria, this time the Hama suburbs, with at least 80 killed there alone. An activist said the killings were centralized in Qubeir. Over 140 killed today in Syria according to their count.

# ? Jun 6, 2012 21:12

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 13:54

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Time for another live blog I think. Any videos from it yet?

# ? Jun 6, 2012 21:26

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Middle East Thread of Despair: More Broken Than Syria

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