tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-297780362012-01-28T02:55:50.919-08:00Via Recta is the Latin name of the Biblical "Street Called Straight" in Damascus, SyriaPhilip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.comBlogger1271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-29810396991025539012012-01-28T01:47:00.000-08:002012-01-28T02:55:50.934-08:00

Moscow reportedly approves of the Arab League initiative for a peaceful transition to multi-party democracy in Syria (see previous post) but wants Assad to remain as president. That's very interesting. It seems that the Syrian people have been out on the streets demanding that Mr Putin picks a suitable president for them, when I was asleep. Sarcasm aside, the Russian pronouncements are in

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-58747719622320502862012-01-23T00:16:00.000-08:002012-01-27T23:07:46.335-08:00

Say what you will about the impotence and Western bias of the Arab League, but its bold call to Assad to hand over power to his deputy, Farouk Al-Sharaa, and hold multi-party elections in six months is both wise and measured. The Russians, who are deeply concerned about losing their only naval base in the Mediterranean and remaining client state in the Arab world, are unlikely to object to this

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-9210342277793182712012-01-20T13:00:00.000-08:002012-01-20T13:00:05.761-08:00

From: http://rationalinsurgent.wordpress.com - Please circulate widely In light of the dire news out of Syria, international action is ever more urgent. In my judgment, Syria reflects one of the paradoxes of international politics: its strategic importance in the region renders international military action nearly impossible–or at least extremely unlikely. Regional and global powers are not

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-11620887658731561742011-12-18T07:51:00.000-08:002011-12-18T10:28:23.349-08:00

Vaclav Havel, former Czech President, architect of the "Velvet Revolution" and dissident playwright has sadly died today aged 75. On becoming President in 1990, he spoke of the fallen communist regime as “a monstrous, ramshackle machine” which had bequeathed not merely economic failure but also “a spoiled moral environment”. “We have become morally ill because we are used to saying one thing

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-87691433269901405462011-12-11T03:13:00.000-08:002011-12-12T13:50:11.306-08:00

He has, after all, a Phd in history and knows exactly what he is talking about. There was no "State of Palestine" under Ottoman rule, nor was there a State of Israel. There were lots of Palestinian Arabs and some Palestinian jews. They lived side by side in relative harmony  until European jews flooded Palestine, displaced the Palestinian Arabs and invented the State of Israel. There were

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-33549352526041260442011-12-03T14:26:00.000-08:002011-12-03T14:26:40.250-08:00

The French created the Alawite State in and around Lattakia in the 1920s to divide and rule Syria.  They encouraged Alawites to join the new army because the more-affluent and urban Sunni majority preferred civilian life. As they rose through the ranks and their numbers swelled the armed forces, the Alawites proceeded to build a state within a state from the late 1960s onwards motivated by

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-27925861143336880952011-11-25T10:16:00.000-08:002011-11-26T09:05:22.523-08:00

First the Human Rights Watch report then the Arab League suspension and now the threat of foreign intervention. What next? Will this regime ever come to its senses? If the Assad clan and their armed thugs are ever caught they should be tried not just for crimes against humanity but also high treason. Their refusal to meet public demands for free and fair elections and deliberate escalation

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-29378979253825908272011-10-20T11:48:00.000-07:002011-10-25T22:51:38.037-07:00

He could have retired in dignity but,  like all despots, he believed his own hubris and met the end that he deserved. Mr Assad, do not fight the people. Take a good look at this picture, learn from history,  pack your bags and go.

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-47481403108962050832011-08-09T13:29:00.000-07:002011-08-09T13:51:20.253-07:00

Today's visit to Damascus by Turkey's foreign minister is a watershed in Syria's modern history. The visit marks the beginning of foreign  intervention in the country to install a new regime and alter the balance of power in the region.  Iran will lose its Syrian protege and Russia will keep its naval base in Tartous. Turkey is a member of NATO but also capable of playing its own game; it can

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-71072788091989180112011-07-04T12:35:00.000-07:002011-07-22T10:26:10.916-07:00

Syrians are peace-loving, hospitable, mild-mannered and generous people, or so our parents and school teachers led us to believe. This video tells a very different story (please be aware that it contains bloody and distressing scenes).  It makes you feel ashamed of your own identity, history, flag, passport, constitution and everything that the country stands

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-14001129504528242632011-06-25T09:51:00.000-07:002011-06-26T00:35:25.995-07:00

Western powers, through Turkey, have tried hard to persuade Assad to lead a peaceful transition to a genuine multi-party democracy but failed. They are giving him one last chance despite the intransigence of the primitive savages in his extended family. The alliance of  Western powers, Israel and conservative Sunni Arab governments would like nothing more than to end Iran’s influence in Syria

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-59896457606011212482011-06-20T14:14:00.000-07:002011-06-20T14:14:02.309-07:00

Baa..conspiracy..Baa..committee..Baa..dialogue..Baa..reforms..

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-68103785427465588282011-06-11T12:37:00.000-07:002011-06-12T01:28:21.185-07:00

In Syria we refer to stubborn belligerent idiots as “tuyus jabalieh” or mountain goats. No one can reason with them. They bully, torment, torture and then kill everyone in sight just to prove that they have the firepower and will use it as they please. Yet, when faced with superior power, they do not fight back; they go quiet, squirm and flee. Force is the only language they understand.The

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-48862122771958567232011-06-03T12:35:00.000-07:002011-06-03T14:03:07.415-07:00

Who are those psychopaths who have been let loose by the Assad clan to inflict such barbarity on an innocent child like Hamza Ali al-Khateeb?Where is the sophisticated Asma Al-Assad now? Is she shopping at Harrods for an expensive new toy for little Hafez?The poor woman is not my soft target for today after running out of ideas. Her misfortune (or misjudgment) of marrying into such a monsterous

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-83052336761137904492011-05-03T17:12:00.000-07:002011-05-03T17:15:45.026-07:00

It has been reported that some regime elements are in favour of negotiating with the opposition. They “complain” that there are no visible or credible opposition leaders with whom they can negotiate; hence the only option is a crackdown to restore peace and order and a continuation of the status quo.Where have we heard this fine line of argument before? Could it be the Israelis who, for 40

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-30531562408798074012011-04-22T14:37:00.000-07:002011-04-22T15:15:03.519-07:00

Regime snipers are now firing exploding bullets at innocent civilians, hunting them down like wild animals. This image is bad enough but the video clip is even more harrowing. The skull of a 10-year old boy has been blown apart scattering his brain all around his body. This is the same regime that presents itself to the rest of the world as cultured and civilised. It is the same regime that lost

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-64716415417121599072011-04-22T09:21:00.000-07:002011-04-22T13:41:38.178-07:00

Dear AsmaTell your husband to quit. If he and his clan have any sense at all, they should start packing their bags now. South America makes a good hiding place and they accept dollars in most supermarkets. Your in-laws may have a stubborn streak but they are no martyrs. Men who sleep on feathers do not willingly fall on their swords. It is over, run before the angry crowds tear you and your

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-48627188018119057732011-04-18T10:55:00.000-07:002011-04-18T22:38:18.354-07:00

The second half of This short amateur video was captured in Banias (a small town in northern Syria). It shows how blatant, sadistic and vindictive regime thugs can be.This second video was posted on Facebook. The beatings and torture are all too evident on the faces and backs of these brave men from Banias.Unfortunately for Syrians, the stubborn mountain goats that have ruled the country for 40

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-26178627630302777072011-04-02T16:12:00.001-07:002011-04-02T16:20:41.696-07:00

No Comment...!

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-86927048672081217022011-03-26T13:58:00.000-07:002011-03-26T22:16:45.090-07:00

The popular uprising in Syria will spiral out of control and rivers of blood will flow unless Assad's brothers and cousins are stripped of their powers immediately and put under house arrest and the army is deployed in force in all the main population centres. That of course is pure fantasy. Assad is too weak among his clan; the higher echelons of the armed forces have been corrupted or rendered

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-41967402975184608752011-03-24T15:57:00.000-07:002011-03-25T15:34:36.401-07:00

Look at me, says sweet Assad, do I look like a tyrant and a killer? My witnesses were God and Buthaina when I ordered the special units not to fire a single bullet at the demonstrators in Dara'a. Yes, 37 dead but it was all a terrible mistake, the dumb policemen just went too far.I have been crying out for reforms ever since I returned from London but my stubborn and ignorant clan would not let

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-91369050170576278012011-03-22T11:49:00.000-07:002011-03-22T14:18:36.518-07:00

The recent events in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen and several street protests in Syria have put the regime on high alert.Assad and his inner circle are confident they can keep the protests small and manageable and prevent a widespead revolution. They are probably right. The tools at their disposal are many and formidable: the extensive intelligence networks that permeate every neighbourhood

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-29032919877982245802011-03-22T00:15:00.000-07:002011-03-22T00:38:00.675-07:00

It is rather curious that syplanet.com has been down since the troubles/demonstrations in Syria began about a week ago. The site provides links to many Syrian blogs which disseminate news and general commentary from within and outside Syria. The blogs reflect a wide spread of opinions on events in the country and are therefore a good barometer of political and non-political sentiment.A "cached"

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-82898229739494021862011-03-04T22:09:00.000-08:002011-03-04T22:43:30.752-08:00

By Wadah Khanfar, Al Jazeera's Director General(extract & comment):"On February 11, the day Hosni Mubarak stepped down as president of Egypt, Al Jazeera faced a welcome dilemma: Scenes of elation were playing out not just in Cairo but throughout the region, and even with our vast network of journalists, we found it difficult to be everywhere at once. From North Africa to the Arabian Peninsula,

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-76089435868313149192011-02-19T06:31:00.000-08:002011-02-19T11:50:45.289-08:00

Young Arabs have a lot to thank Tim Berners-Lee and Julian Assange for. No longer will self-appointed psychopaths like Gaddafi, who has held on to power for 42 years, be able to prevent desparate Arab youths from taking control of their own lives. The Internet has brought information democracy into their own bedrooms and images of how other, less fortunate but healthier, societies live and

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-87575437293730567382011-02-02T20:06:00.000-08:002011-02-02T21:14:20.377-08:00

Mubarak's days are numbered. Whether he personally authorised the regime's thugs to attack protesters in Tahrir Square yesterday is neither here or there. He will be booted out by the people and the Americans, but there is no regime change in Egypt.The army is firmly in charge and its current chiefs all have very strong and deep-rooted links with the US, especially Vice President Omar Sulaiman (

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-46704427649285202792011-01-29T01:50:00.000-08:002011-01-29T01:54:41.794-08:00

(Shamelessly copied from an Israeli blog):Syria's Assad nervous about Tunisia-style uprising From Intelligence Online (registration required):The intelligence services in Syria are doing everything possible to prevent a copycat uprising in the country, following the overthrow of Ben Ali in Tunisia.President Bashar Al Assad held a meeting with the principal as well as regional heads of

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-61714078936502998302011-01-29T00:56:00.000-08:002011-01-29T01:41:47.294-08:00

An Egyptian military delegation visiting its paymasters in Washington two days ago was told not to intimidate the population, ease Mubarak out of office and take control. The delegation was promised additional financial and material support to enable an interim military government to introduce partial political reforms, cut food prices and help the unemployed.In other words, Washington and the

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-72658316574333690412011-01-25T14:00:00.000-08:002011-01-25T15:43:51.018-08:00

Tunisia and now Egypt. Mubarak's regime will not crack that easily; the Israelis , Americans and local army chiefs and business barons are firmly behind it.The demonstrations have built up some momentum but change in Egypt can only come about when people take to the streets in their millions and paralyse the country for weeks not days.What have they got to lose and who cares what comes after the

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-15898391035398204452010-06-08T11:07:00.000-07:002010-06-24T13:03:48.659-07:00

A startling, revealing and quite desperate article by Caroline Glick of the Jerusalem Post - definitely worth a read....and a laugh! (Most entertaining parts highlighted)Our World: The plain truth about Israel By CAROLINE B. GLICK06/07/2010 21:46This country is the US’s greatest strategic asset in the region. Indeed, given the strategic importance of the Middle East to American national security,

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-91028042678992590192010-06-02T23:01:00.000-07:002010-06-04T22:21:49.917-07:00

Click images to enlargeBenjamin Netanyahu said on television last night that easing the blockade on Gaza would put Iranian missiles in the hands of Hamas."The international community cannot afford an Iranian port on the Mediterranean". These are the words of a desperate man who personally authorised the raid on the aid ships that has backfired on Israel.It is interesting how the prime minister

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-41724298078016030662009-07-12T08:48:00.000-07:002009-07-12T08:57:59.057-07:00

Obama on a 24-hour visit to Ghana 11 July 2009:"No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end. ... Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions." "Repression takes many forms, and too many nations are plagued by problems that condemn their people to

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-71530180719259400322009-07-12T05:44:00.000-07:002009-07-13T20:50:49.771-07:00

By Jimmy Carter*12 July 2009Discrimination and abuse wrongly backed by doctrine are damaging society, argues the former US president"Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status ..." (Article 2,

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-22853092958131821902009-02-01T09:45:00.000-08:002009-02-01T10:03:18.473-08:00

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-70438179577217053622009-01-20T11:59:00.001-08:002009-01-20T12:14:04.483-08:00

Obama used mobile phones to deliver his message directly to the people and get elected.Barack Hussein Obama will use his middle name to reach out to the 1.5 billion people and 57 countries that make up the Muslim world, put an end to the catastrophic "clash of civilisations" and get faith, trust and money flowing back to America.I have a dream!

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-89274044426285425302009-01-17T12:52:00.000-08:002009-01-17T13:55:27.425-08:00

Click image to enlargeWhen will self-victimising Jews stop accusing the world of anti-Semitism?Whenever Israel's callous actions are criticised by friend or foe we get a chorus of howls from pro-Israeli organisations and media outlets around the globe. This is sometimes followed by reminders of the Holocaust in television and radio interviews, newspaper articles and repeat movies, all

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-30564464810772433102009-01-14T12:47:00.000-08:002009-01-17T23:56:04.369-08:00

Click images to enlargeIsrael has committed 58 massacres against the Palestinians since 1947. Full details here. You must also see these...... extraordinary..... charts!The current attack on Gaza is NOT a massacre. The relentless air raids and shelling have so far claimed the lives of over 1000 people and wounded 5000, but they do not amount to a massacre.A high-quality Israeli massacre is

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-43450902020853212192009-01-13T13:13:00.000-08:002009-01-16T23:51:52.195-08:00

Here is a most brilliant Israeli gentleman that deserves to be heard by the entire world. He is an anthropologist and peace activist who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. No Arab or Israeli person, that I am aware of, has ever uttered such good sense in the history of the 100-year Middle East conflict. His name is Jeff Halper. His wisdom and foresight cannot but penetrate the most

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-33048569187431851842009-01-11T04:32:00.000-08:002009-01-13T15:06:41.017-08:00

Watch here Lord Balfour addressing European Jewish immigrants in Jerusalem and get a real sense of how the 100-year-old Arab-Israeli conflict all started. Don't listen to fairy tales from either side, see history in the making with your own eyes.Thank the foresighted French Jewish photographer and financier Albert Kahn for capturing the spirit of the times. (15 minutes)

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-18255967145062076472009-01-10T23:43:00.000-08:002009-01-13T14:58:00.342-08:00

Here it is, sad and depressing.Is it simply a manifestation of the cruelty of war, a disasterous example of the the idiocy and bravado of Arab governments or a reminder to the world of the continuing ethnic cleansing of Palestine? (27 minutes)

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-14500553059122431892009-01-10T11:58:00.000-08:002009-01-13T14:58:51.771-08:00

I am re-posting this video by popular demand. You can now watch it on this page. For a brief description and comments click here. (5 minutes)

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-6909393264843514322009-01-08T11:32:00.000-08:002009-01-10T02:11:00.876-08:00

Click on images to enlargeIsrael says no country can tolerate rocket attacks on its civilian population. True, but Israel is not a country with legitimate borders. Hamas has actually been firing rockets into occupied Palestinian territory and not Israeli land.Here is a map of Palestine that Israel does not want the world to see. It clearly shows how Israel has illegally expanded its territory

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-47220630789815064932009-01-04T09:45:00.000-08:002009-01-05T11:48:45.488-08:00

How the pro-Israel lobby in Britain benefits from a generous London tycoonBy Rajeev Syal, The Observer, Sunday 4 January 2009Britain's most active pro-Israeli lobbying organisation - which flies journalists to Israel on fact-finding trips and organises access to senior government figures - has received nearly £1.4m in two years from a billionaire donor whose father made a fortune manufacturing

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-5872597565711799722009-01-01T01:58:00.000-08:002009-01-03T14:55:24.194-08:00

And a happy New Year to you too, Israel. Revel in these pictures for now, but your turn will surely come; how can the cycle of violence stop while you continue to maintain your inhuman and vindictive siege of Gaza?Postscript 3 January 2009: On the 8th day of Israeli attacks, the death toll has reached 440 and number of injured 2285. Israeli tanks have been shelling a number of areas to prepare

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-13466028051786597612008-12-28T10:56:00.000-08:002009-01-01T01:30:06.362-08:00

Here's is an interesting article by Shlomo Sand, Professor of History at Tel Aviv University, that shakes the very foundations of Zionism.Thanks to fellow Syrian blogger Abu Kareem (Levantine Dreamhouse) for drawing attention to it. The article appeared in the English edition of Le Monde diplomatique in September this year.Zionist nationalist myth of enforced exileIsrael deliberately forgets its

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-86507721042245799792008-12-28T03:24:00.000-08:002009-01-01T01:24:50.135-08:00

Here we go again. Israel's leaders compete among each other in annihilating the greatest number of caged, starved and strangled Gazans, just to make a cheap political point.Having bombed 270 people out of existence and maimed 700 others in one day, Livni can now claim to be as macho as Netanyahu and any of the other Israeli chieftains.What is it with Israel's psychopathic leaders and Zionist

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-58245926947553733812008-08-26T10:35:00.000-07:002008-08-26T10:46:04.620-07:00

The Role Of Israel In The Georgian WarBy Brian Harring8-17-8 Georgia became a huge source of income, and military advantage, for the Israeli government and Israeli arms dealers.. Israel began selling arms to Georgia about seven years ago, following an initiative by Georgian citizens who immigrated to Israel and became weapons hustlers. They contacted Israeli defense industry officials and arms

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-24539119624748074222008-08-26T09:29:00.000-07:002008-08-26T20:41:48.202-07:00

....and says he has done nothing illegal!By AFPFirst Published: August 25, 2008RIYADH: A Saudi court will next month hear a plea for divorce from an eight-year-old girl married off by her father to a man in his fifties, the Arabic-language daily Al-Watan reported on Sunday.It said the girl's mother had filed the divorce case with the court at Unayzah 220 kilometres north of Riyadh, and cited

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-33778117730300379922008-05-25T05:17:00.000-07:002008-05-30T21:58:37.522-07:00

I wish the propects for peace between Syria and Israel were real.As history teaches us, lasting peace can only be achieved with long-term confidence building measures and a more equal balance of power. Israel, with American backing, still has the upper hand militarily but feels more insecure than ever before. Israel fears not so much Iranian nuclear missiles (which America would presumably shield

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-61061723640942542662008-02-02T02:35:00.000-08:002008-02-03T13:25:13.646-08:00

When I wrote my previous post ("A thousand little eyes for an eye") I was looking for statistics on the number of Palestinians in Gaza who have died or been injured as a result of Israeli attacks since 2000.Israel has always justified these attacks on the basis that its settelements were coming under fire without provocation and that it had to carry out targetted assasinations of "terrorist

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-61935054664551233722008-01-26T14:47:00.000-08:002008-02-02T01:17:09.601-08:00

Failed Qasam missilesThe Qassam missiles that Hamas uses to fire at southern Israel are pathetic little toys. They have a maximum range of 9 kilometers and hardly ever hit their targets.Since 2001, according to Israeli sources, these missile have caused just 10 Israeli deaths and 433 (probably mainly minor) injuries. Mortar shells, which have a range of 3 kilometers, have caused a similar number

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-51309168214579354142008-01-10T22:38:00.000-08:002009-01-13T15:05:00.390-08:00

A belated Happy New Year to everyone and my apologies for the long absence (not that I harbour any delusions of grandure on the blogosphere).I have missed so much of the region's news and good writings on my favourite Syrian and non-Syrian blogs in the last five months.Having neglected my own blog over that period, it is interesting to see that only one insult, two commercial adverts and one

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-29106606995312033012007-08-15T20:37:00.000-07:002007-08-15T22:29:07.350-07:00

The Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (1784 - 1817) travelled extensively in "Greater Syria" and Arabian Peninsula, spoke Arabic fluently, studied the Quran and Islamic Law, disguised himself as Sheikh Ibrahim Ibn Abdallah and made the pilgrimage to Mecca. He died of dysentery in Egypt.He published accounts of his life and travels in the region and was credited with discovering Petra in

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-84333274733881106642007-07-26T22:21:00.000-07:002007-07-26T22:27:49.837-07:00

Take your holiday on the slopes of the Golan this summer, as this article in Haaretz encourages you to do. Don't forget to apply for an Israeli visa if you are a Syrian.Haaretz 25/07/2007 MI says Syria has no plans to attack By Barak RavidSyria does not intend to strike Israel, IDF intelligence told the ministerial forum on the northern front yesterday. During the body's five-hour

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-15788904925226133492007-06-17T15:09:00.000-07:002007-06-18T21:48:04.294-07:00

A recent report by the Brookings Institution paints a harrowing picture of life in Syria for Iraqi refugees and assesses their impact on the Syrian population and economy.When will the Arabs admit that traditional "Arab hospitality" begins to wear off after 3 days? By giving shelter and support to destitute Iraqi families, the Syrian government has acted honourably. The government should now

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-82903982462724639672007-06-17T14:10:00.000-07:002007-06-17T16:08:25.858-07:00

An interesting article by Bradley Burston of Haaretz, published on 15 June, explains why the Palestinians still do not have their own independent state.It is reproduced here in full because it provides a succinct and more balanced picture of the Arab-Israeli conflict than anything I have seen in recent years. I do not necessarily endorse the writer's views because they are not entirely neutral.

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-27916619171339196502007-06-07T14:43:00.000-07:002007-06-17T15:52:19.406-07:00

Most recent data + commentTotal population - 2004: 17.8 million (now 19.0 milion, excluding Iraqi refugees, numbering 1.5 million) Residents of Damascus and Aleppo Governorates: 44.1% of population (7.8 milllion) Growth rate 1981 – 1994: 3.3% Growth rate 2001-2005:

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-13195658097320264852007-06-05T23:26:00.000-07:002007-06-10T03:04:44.721-07:00

From the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsSYRIA: Massive investment needed if Damascus to avert water crisisDAMASCUS, 11 October 2006 (IRIN) - Billions of dollars of investment are required over the next decade if Damascus, Syria’s rapidly growing capital, is to avert a critical water crisis, according to a leading development agency.Water levels in Damascus drop drastically

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-77779735206054423312007-06-05T14:34:00.000-07:002007-06-10T07:31:09.219-07:00

"The renewable surface and ground water resources of Syria are estimated at 10,000 million cubic meters annually.The country requires approximately 400 million cubic meters annually in order to sustain itself. Agriculture consumes between 86-90 percent of the water resources of the country. This figure may decline slightly as a result of agricultural policy changes and improvements in irrigation

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-57180969102360261522007-06-05T14:06:00.000-07:002007-06-05T14:18:55.160-07:00

The good news:"There has been dramatic improvement in health indicators for Syria in the last three decades: life expectancy at birth has increased from 56 years in 1970 to 71.7 years in 200231; infant mortality has dropped from 123 per 1,000 live births in 1970 to 18.1 in 2001; under-five mortality rate has dropped significantly to 20 per 1,000 live births; maternal mortality has fallen from 482

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-80639872147785988562007-06-05T10:58:00.000-07:002007-06-05T12:20:22.391-07:00

In Syria, around 9 million people live in rural areas. Agriculture is the main activity in these areas, employing 55% of the labour force. The sector accounted for more than a quarter of GDP and total employment in 2004.According to the UN "Syria possesses impressive agricultural potential and a reasonably good level of food security". However, productivity in the sector is low and unemployment

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-3728384224462111502007-05-30T22:05:00.000-07:002007-05-30T22:49:17.071-07:00

According to fellow blogger "Nine Months in Syria":"The billboards changed overnight from campaign to congratulations. This one reads: "Congratulations; Congratulations; Oh, our country; To you, our Asad." Or, "To you, our lion." In Arabic, asad means lion."What I care about is what our lion has done, is doing, will do, to liberate the Golan from 40 years Israeli occupation.His father, as defence

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-90859772849861180522007-05-22T11:17:00.000-07:002007-05-29T22:12:35.286-07:00

Heads, I win ... Tails, you loseSyrian Presidential Referendum, Sunday 27 May 2007The farce continues for 7 more years“I don't have any formula for ousting a dictator or building democracy. All I can suggest is to forget about yourself and just think of your people. It's always the people who make things happen.”Corazon Aquino (Political leader and president (1986-92) of the Philippines, b.1933)

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-73465368438149884512007-05-16T09:47:00.000-07:002007-05-19T20:49:03.851-07:00

The Ministry of Education in Syria has decided to postpone student exams which would have coincided with the presidential referendum on 27 May.The Ministry, guided by the Baath Party, has declared that students, teachers and school administrators “will wish” to take part in the nationwide rallies planned in support of the president on that day. Assad, the sole candidate, is seeking a second 7

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-43182604991624790502007-05-10T20:47:00.000-07:002007-05-19T20:44:08.506-07:00

Syrian human rights activist, Dr. Kamal al-Labwani, was sentenced on 10 May to life imprisonment. Regime president, Bashar Al Assad, immediately and "graciously" commuted it to 12 years.Some analysts view this extraordinarly long sentence as an attempt to frustrate and silence peaceful opposition and a statement of defiance against the soon-to-be-convened international tribunal on the

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-37845233377035178872007-05-09T16:50:00.000-07:002007-05-10T20:45:03.240-07:00

Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel 40 years ago, in the six-day war of 1967. Four decades is not a particularly long time in the life of a nation, but in human terms, the war has impacted the lives of three generations already. Its disturbing images still linger in the memories of those who lived through it and witnessed its breathtakingly quick conclusion as either a “humiliating defeat” or

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-83172321799340177862007-04-29T04:24:00.000-07:002007-04-29T23:31:54.724-07:00

Click on photos to enlargeFares has just posted this letter on his blog from our prisoners of conscience who are languishing in a rotten jail near Damascus. Fellow Syrian bloggers, kindly disseminate widely and forward to your local press. Our prisoners expect nothing less as a show of support. No action means the authorities can continue to arrest, torture and detain anyone for years under

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-21581057980598450072007-04-24T19:31:00.000-07:002007-04-24T20:02:01.916-07:00

By some accounts the turnout in the Syrian parliamentary elections last weekend was as low as 10%, but no one really knows. In any case, should this really have surprised anyone? When the Syrian constitution tells people that they must always "vote" the Baath Party back into power, no wonder that most choose to stay at home and watch a movie. What prisoner would vote for his jailer? Why pretend

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-77371576933166079232007-03-30T05:47:00.000-07:002007-03-30T06:00:05.596-07:00

The good news is that UNESCO is sending a delegation to Damascus. The delegation will try to bring the authorities to their senses over their insane plans to "modernise" parts of the old city and put a stop to the destruction. They will meet tomorrow, 31 March. The delegation will then report the outcome to UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, which is made up of 21 member states. The Committee

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-54872265158546361432007-03-27T18:41:00.000-07:002007-03-27T21:08:56.345-07:00

Emotions have been running high on Syrian blogs. Stories about the destruction of parts of the old city of Damascus (a protected UNESCO World Heritage site since 1975) have been circulating for weeks.It is hard to get an accurate picture of what is happening, who is responsible and what the official position is. This is hardly surprising; Syria is not an open country with clear laws and

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-11882850952360318182007-03-10T03:12:00.000-08:002007-03-10T04:57:05.362-08:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here's a small selection of political cartoons which has appeared in the last year or so expressing the passions of our time (to enlarge click on image):ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQR

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-46286356473755387622007-03-07T13:47:00.000-08:002007-03-07T13:58:18.577-08:00

Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper and Stratfor, a private intelligence organisation run by former CIA operatives, claimed last month that Syria was strengthening its air, ground and naval defences with advanced Russian, Chinese and Iranian missiles. If true, this could be good news for the beleaguered Syrian defence forces but don’t hold your breath. The Syrian military has been corrupted by three

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-36881280912398114472007-02-28T11:45:00.000-08:002007-02-28T15:14:13.869-08:00

The Egyptian authorities have recently meted out a 4-year prison sentence to Kareem Amer, an outspoken 22-year old blogger for “inciting hatred of Islam” and "criticising President Hosni Mubarak".The blogger community is incensed by this harsh punishment. His blog supporters have initiated a worldwide campaign to publicise his case and free him. Syrian bloggers, who would be just as exposed to

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-86239955747955277732007-02-20T14:10:00.000-08:002007-02-20T14:38:58.557-08:00

Syrian human rights campaigner, Lawyer Anwar Al-Bunni, incarcerated since May 2006, is about to be served another dose of humiliation and persecution by the authorities.Not content with beating him up in the street, jailing him twice, torturing him in prison, ignoring his hunger strike, shaving his hair and revoking his license to practise law, they now want to strip him of his citizenship. The

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-38537605844094600302007-02-16T00:35:00.000-08:002007-02-20T14:40:46.533-08:00

In February last year, the UN agreed to support the Syrian government in implementing its 10th five-year development plan (2006-2010). A technical assistance programme was signed at a cost of US$110 million and the UN agreed to absorb US$30 million of this cost.The aim of the programme is to address mounting social and economic problems in the country and, in particular, reduce poverty and

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-49976141423604094552007-02-15T04:25:00.000-08:002007-02-15T14:42:15.412-08:00

When Bashar Assad inherited the presidency in 2000, he declared his intention to purge the government, civil service and public enterprises of corrupt elements. In the language of the following post, he has done no more than fry some big fish. Conveniently, the fish he fried were not so keen on closer relations with Iran. Corruption has been left to eat away at the foundations of Syrian

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1636975732723211612007-02-11T13:30:00.000-08:002007-02-11T17:06:00.617-08:00

No commentClick on image to enlarge

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-27979092077371061262007-02-09T11:44:00.000-08:002007-02-09T12:02:36.052-08:00

Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) is a network of individuals who wish to have a platform for critical debate on major political questions, the situation in the Middle East in particular. The initiative was born out of a frustration with the widespread misconception that the Jews of this country (Great Britain) speak with one voice - and that this voice supports the Israeli government’s policies.In

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-59958708866272309122007-02-07T15:56:00.000-08:002007-02-08T05:52:34.182-08:00

In many ways this is a silly question. It is like asking if the ant should recognise the elephant's right to exist! Yet, Israel and the so-called Middle East Quartet, Russia, the United Nations, the European Union and the United States, have been demanding not only that the ant should recognise the elephant's right to exist but also to live by its shadow, blindfolded.Let us be clear on the

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-57887911402229563952007-02-04T06:34:00.000-08:002007-02-04T14:17:58.810-08:00

George Bush, all of a sudden, has gone green. He says America should no longer depend on Mid East oil. Let me translate his words: "Fellow Americans, the mess in Iraq.. is all your fault. You made me go after cheap gas but the Chinese got there first. The gas is no longer cheap and I can't control the region any more, so I'm quitting Iraq".Levantine Dreamhouse reports on the openning of the first

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-43840730605965958802007-01-27T15:22:00.000-08:002007-01-27T15:52:40.403-08:00

Iran is expected to launch a spy satellite soon using a converted ballistic missile. The Israelis launched their first satellite in 1988. They have since deployed a range of spy, communication and weather satellites and plan to launch more sophisticated versions later this year and next. The new all-weather satellites can capture high resolution images of objects measured in centimetres rather

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-66719465289044012782007-01-19T12:24:00.000-08:002007-02-17T09:06:17.034-08:00

If you have been using www.inblogs.net to access blocked sites, you will have noticed that you can no longer see the comments section and therefore leave a comment. The reason is that the comments section on the "blogspot" server now uses a secure link (https://).A clever blogger has discovered that you can use www.google.com translation tool to access a banned blog including the comments section

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-26271868507411283222007-01-14T07:12:00.000-08:002007-01-22T19:49:08.255-08:00

Unconfirmed reports suggest that this year's parliamentary elections will be held in April (they had previously been scheduled for early March). The presidential referendum has been scheduled for late May and municipal elections for August.Click on image to enlargeThese elections will be taking place against an extraordinarily complex and tense political backdrop. Since the last parliamentary

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-22708869676009826132007-01-11T22:44:00.000-08:002007-01-11T23:22:22.726-08:00

Ariel Sharon: In terms of culture and tradition, the Arab world is not built for democratization. [Source]Bashar Assad: "..Syria is too backward to sustain Western-style democracy. Tribalism has haunted Syria for 2000 years and sectarianism is too deeply rooted and too close to the surface of society to permit Western–style freedoms. If unleashed, these ancient loyalties would cause civil war and

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-14113980065387286172007-01-06T01:37:00.000-08:002009-01-17T16:39:33.471-08:00

The six-day war with Israel in 1967 was a severe humiliation to the Arabs. The armies of Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq were defeated, 100 Egyptian pilots killed and over 300 Egyptian jetfighters and hundreds of tanks were destroyed on the ground.Israel seized the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank of the Jordan River (including East Jerusalem), and the Golan Heights. Overall, Israel's

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-65610289718251198882007-01-02T11:37:00.000-08:002007-01-02T13:04:32.248-08:00

Nuri Al-Maliki, Prime Minister of Iraq, and his predecessor, Ibrahim Al-Jaafari belong to the AL-Da'wa party, a once clandestine Islamic Shia movement that tried to assasinate Saddam Hussein seven times when he ruled the country. Two days ago, Al-Maliki had the pleasure of signing off Saddam's death warrant.The manner and timing of Sadam's execution were designed to project Shia power in Iraq.

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1166359244603884202006-12-17T04:15:00.000-08:002006-12-17T04:40:44.700-08:00

Human Development Index: 106th out of 177 countries (= ‘medium’ human development)Arab Human Development Report ranking: 12th out of 20 Arab countries.Demography Population: 17.8 million (2004) of which men: 9.1m and women: 8.7mPopulation Growth Rate: 2.58% (2000-05)Urban Population: 50 per cent of the total in 2004Ethnic Groups: Arabs 90.3%; Kurds, Armenians and others: 9.7%Economic

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1166201526646848502006-12-15T08:29:00.000-08:002006-12-16T07:22:54.076-08:00

In arms deals, it is normal for suppliers to inflate their prices in order to pay commissions to intermediaries. The intermediaries then share the commissions with government officials who have signed the contracts. In diplomatic language, a bribe is called "excess commission". The British-Saudi deal which was signed last August for the supply and maintenance of 72 Typhoon Euro jets, is worth

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1163115166080171992006-11-09T14:55:00.000-08:002006-11-09T16:12:38.896-08:00

This year, so far, hundreds of Palestinians, including 96 children, have died as a result of Israeli attacks and counter attacks on Gaza. By contrast, the number of Israeli civillian casualties from Palestinian attacks over the same period has dwindled to a handful.Israeli army shelling of Beit Hannoun in Gaza two days ago has resulted in the death of 20 civillians, including women and 7

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1161304587228300182006-10-19T17:15:00.000-07:002006-10-19T17:36:27.246-07:00

The previous post was about a 70-year-old video clip of Damascus. This one concerns an article that was published in 1957 in a British military journal called "Flying Review", which I have picked up in a second hand bookshop in Cyprus recently. The article is entitled "Syria - The Grim Facts".It was written by a military analyst who feared Soviet expansion and the destruction of Israel and the

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1161302868317225992006-10-19T16:45:00.000-07:002006-12-16T07:55:18.696-08:00

If you are interested in history, you can download this film clip of Damascus recorded exactly 70 years ago by an American traveller, Paul Devlin.Damascus 1936. (AVI format, 14 megabytes)- see the comments section at the bottom of this post for instructions on how to download it. Mr devlin was fascinated by the history of Damascus but not very impressed by its inhabitants. Remarks such as "not

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1161301431545225162006-10-19T16:08:00.000-07:002006-10-19T16:43:51.566-07:00

In the last few weeks several high profile political prisoners have been set free, including Michel Kilo today. At least the government seems to be relenting under pressure from Amnesty International and perhaps also Syrian expatriates (see freesyria.wordpress.com). There are still many prisoners of conscience whose families are not permitted to see them and whose fate is unknown. Judging by

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1160598936694635242006-10-11T13:10:00.000-07:002006-10-11T13:45:18.163-07:00

People used to think that landmines were cruel. How about DIME?All credit to Haaretz for publishing this report today and the Israeli Physicians for Human Rights organisation that is raising the issue with the minister of defence. Pity the Gazan amputees and those whose internal organs have been incinerated. w w w . h a a r e t z . c o m-----------------------------------------------------------

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1159725643550943052006-10-01T10:11:00.000-07:002006-10-01T11:12:54.133-07:00

Reports published by the UN and Syrian Government in the last 18 months reveal some disturbing social and economic trends. Three of these trends are worth highlighting:1) Some 11 percent of Syrians live under the national poverty line of two dollars a day. [Brief UN commentary (English) & full report (Arabic)].Click on image to enlarge2) Almost 2 million individuals in Syria could not meet

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1159510350207906922006-09-28T21:46:00.000-07:002006-09-28T23:55:30.343-07:00

Six years ago, the UN launched the Programme on Governance in the Arab Region (POGAR). POGAR was developed at the request of Arab governments to improve government practices in the region. POGAR works in partnership with legislative and judicial institutions as well as civil society to identify problems and solutions and provide training.Syria's governance, by international and Arab standards,

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1158607379426215942006-09-18T11:35:00.000-07:002006-09-18T12:32:17.163-07:00

Why are religious sensibilities so easily hurt, and the hurt rarely forgotten? Many Muslims still seem to be angry and dissatisfied with the Pope's apology. Could it be religious dogma? Religious dogma is just that; dogma, plain and simple. One cannot really reason with people who are more ritual than spiritual. Rituality is the uncompromising, coersive and organising part of any philosphy, be

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1158219057951361442006-09-13T23:05:00.000-07:002006-09-14T05:19:18.190-07:00

Syrian human rights activists remain incarcerated without fair trial or access to their families despite numerous international appeals for their release. The list is long but includes Mahmoud Issa, Michel Kilo, Khalil Hasan, Anwar el Bunni, Suleiman al-Shamar, Ali Abdallah, Mohammed Ali Abdallah, Kamal Labwani, Fateh Jamous, Habib Saleh and Aref Dalila. They are all peaceful intellectuals and

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1157314375295320122006-09-03T11:33:00.000-07:002006-09-03T14:05:42.156-07:00

If Syrians and Palestinians want to trade peace for land, why don't they talk to the Israelis without preconditions, more openly and more often? Peace is not an event but a long process. It is about changing hearts and minds and building trust, so no one should expect a final settlement in less than 20 years. The desired outcome for Syria and Israel should be stated at the outset: the return of

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1156713814531108692006-08-27T13:17:00.000-07:002006-08-27T17:14:00.513-07:00

Click on image to enlargeThe incompetence of the Baath Party and Assad clan is legendary. Here it is, in the above chart, for all to see. Average income in Syria has barely moved in the last 24 years, despite the oil wealth. By contrast, our Jordanian and Lebanese neighbours, who hardly have any natural resources, use only their brains to scratch a living. Jordan's average income has been growing

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29778036.post-1155763033616187022006-08-16T13:07:00.000-07:002006-08-27T12:42:49.980-07:00

President Assad kept a low profile and refrained from making public speeches during the month-long battle in Lebanon. As soon as the cease fire came into effect, he declared a “glorious victory for the resistance” and attacked Lebanese parties that wanted to disarm Hizbullah and Arab rulers who had accused it of adventurism. He then went on to replay an old record for the Israelis and Americans

Philip Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815549376670840475noreply@blogger.com6