“Riders of the Dubai metro were surprised to see the vice president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum among them as he was heading to the house of a leading citizen of the city. What was interesting is that Shaikh Mohammed did not have any assistants or aides or guards with him. He stood all alone throughout the trip………”
It probably was a surprise alright. It doesn’t say if it was a pleasant or an unpleasant surprise. But I am not sure if it was a pleasant surprise. What do you think (he probably does smile occasionally)? Ruler of Dubai More seriously, it was a good move on his part to encourage people to ride the metro. He wanted the citizens to start using the expensive metro, a good cause. Gulf GCC citizens, and I should know, are notorious for eschewing any form of public transport; thinking it is beneath them to share public transport with lowly Asian and Arab laborers who are a majority of the population anyway. Once during rush hour I recall riding one of those smoky tuk-tuks in Southeast Asia and had it drive me to the door of our IMF-World Bank conference hotel. Shocked the hell out of the Gulf potentates. The metro may become the exception if the potentates keep on riding it. Besides, Gulfies have no problem riding public transport in Europe. See? Stupidity, nay asininity, is thriving on the Gulf. Plenty of it on the shores of my Gulf. Cheers
mhg
“If Iran was indeed willing to attack a Saudi Ambassador and close confidante of the Saudi King on US soil and countenance the death of 100-150 Americans, then the US has reached a point where it must take action. The President’s National Security Council and intelligence teams led by Thomas Donilon must construct a response that is “more than reactive.” This is time for a significant strategic response to the Iran challenge in the Middle East and globally — and if the US does not take action, then the Saudis will most likely retaliate in ways that will escalate the stakes and tensions with Iran throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denies any government involvement in this plot — and there no doubt will be much more that surfaces in coming days. But Iran has officially denied any complicity in this plot and has accused the US of fabricating these claims…….”
No, I don’t think the US government has fabricated the story, not at the highest levels. There was some kind of a plot, but it probably was DOA (as in dead on arrival). It was a plot hatched between some idiotic Iranians and some federal agents. Or maybe it was a plot hatched between some rather clever Iranians and some US federal agents. The Iranians may have had relations to elements in the Tehran regime, or they may have had ties to some Iranian groups outside Iran, like the Mujahideen Khalq. The mullahs are not that stupid, they have never done anything like this before, not on US soil. And they have nothing whatsoever to gain by it, au contraire. And all the open ‘simple’ talk about “it matters not if 100 or 150 Americans are killed in the restaurant” sounds worse than Hollywood-ish: it sounds like a children’s horror story. Almost idiotic. The Iranian regime is brutal, but it ain’t stupid or suicidal.
What is interesting is the outcry for ‘revenge’ right away in the media and on the web. All the closer latent hawks see their glory days returning. No doubt if the Iranian regime was behind it, there should be repercussions. As I told some hasty academic tweeters earlier: shouldn’t there be a waiting period before Slim Pickens rides the bomb (over Iran)?
(Re- Slim Pickens: if you haven’t seen Dr. Strangelove, find a copy and see it). Cheers
mhg
BFF This morning I thought of Newt Gingrich, not sure why. I Binges him (I don’t patronize only one search engine) and clicked on his Twitter link. Here is some of what I read:
“If we reestablish the constitutional basis of America this election will be historic-your help at newt.org makes big difference”
“The tea party movement should seek to educate the protesters-the tea party has it right-return to constitutional government”
“Looking forward to the debate tonight. But today I’m taking questions from you. Use #LeadNow to ask me about the issues.”
As I read his seriously witless remarks (tweets), my thoughts traveled back toward my home region, back to the Middle East, moving along the coast of my (Persian-American) Gulf and farther north, well past the Gulf. I focused on the common northeastern border between Iraq and Iran. I wondered if Newt Gingrich has given up on the idea of taking a hike along the Iraqi-Iranian border (in the Kurdish region). (Actually it was my suggestion to him, my contribution to his campaign posted here last week). It would be a great way to shore up his (non-existent) foreign policy credentials before the Iowa Republican caucuses. Nothing like a hike straddling the Iranian border, preferably in an undersized business suit that would accentuate his body curves. The mullahs may be thrilled: the prize this time would not be three crazy hapless students seeking innocent adventure. Newt, like most Republican political and radio warriors, never served in the military. They are so good at evading service yet sound more patriotic than Democrats who did. He will come out of Tehran almost as another John McCain but not as thin and not as injured. Of course the cuisine in Iran, even in Evin prison, is better than the Hanoi Hilton. Cheers
mhg
Watched CNBC early this morning. This is the post Erin Burnett CNBC (she left for CNN). Before that they lost Dylan Ratigan (for MSNBC), as the network moved even more to the right. Now they have the ‘questionable’ Jim Cramer all over the place. The network of Erin Burnett has become the network of Jim Cramer, chief cheerleader of the Goldman Sachs fan club. It is a true downgrade, and not just for esthetic reasons. Cheers
mhg
“The British government is facing a potentially explosive decision over whether or not to block a criminal investigation into a new bribery scandal involving a two billion pounds contract to provide communications and cyber warfare capabilities to Saudi Arabia. Dominic Grieve, the attorney-general, will have to decide whether to intervene in an inquiry concerning the payment of millions of pounds in alleged bribes from a British defence firm to the Saudi royal family, according to The Sunday Times. He is to consider whether the investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into a two billion pounds contract to provide communications and cyberwarfare capability to Saudi Arabia is in the public interest. According to the report, Grieve has been briefed on the case after officials at the SFO traced secret payments from the defence firm into a bank account in Switzerland controlled by a member of the Saudi royal family……… The case echoes the political scandal that hit Tony Blair’s government when he pulled the plug on a criminal inquiry into alleged bribes by BAE Systems, the British arms firm, to the Saudis. Then the SFO was investigating allegations that millions of pounds had been paid to a Saudi prince to help BAE clinch a 40 billion pounds contract to sell jets to the kingdom. Downing Street killed off the investigation after the Saudis threatened to ditch the contract…………..” If there is one thing I have learned about European governments, including the British, it is that they will fold in the face ‘financial’ threats by rich Arab despots, be they a Colonel in Libya or a tribal absolute dynasty in Riyadh. It is the money, stupid. Tony (the poodle) Blair killed the earlier SFO investigation into BAE Systems’ bribes of US$ 2 billion to Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Sultan al-Saud. At that time, The Economist headlined with a mocking “Bribe, Brittania, Bribe…..”. Of course the Saudi people paid that money which was added to the cost of the contract. Blair was also instrumental in the release of al-Megrahi of the Lockerbie bombing. Regardless of the merits of the case against him, he was released for financial reasons, something Tony Blair seems to be good at these days. Tony Blair worked for JP Morgan at the time, which had Libyan deals.
Now a similar Saudi case is in the hands of the SFO (British Serious Frauds Office). That was predictable: the thousands of Saudi leeches princes have boundless greed, and they actually believe that they own the Arabian Peninsula, its petroleum, its people, it camels, and everything else on it. Even its Holy places like Mecca which they are turning into a Las Vegas style money machine. I am betting the British government will also kill this investigation, one way or another.
(You will never read or hear about this scandal in Saudi media. You will never read or hear about it in Gulf GCC media either).
The semi-official Saudi dailyAsharq Alawsat reports that Ahmad al-Tayeb, the Shaikh of al-Azhar and a former functionary of Mubarak’s ruling party, has met with the Saudi Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in Cairo. The newspaper headlines that the two have reached an agreement to stand firm in the face of any attempts to “touch (or is it fondle) Sunni societies”, a blatant sectarian statement if there ever was one. They did not specify who or what was threatening to touch “Sunni societies”, no reference was made to Hip-Hop, Rap, or Angry Bird. I know the Saudi muftis frown upon Barbie and Sponge Bob. An official invitation for Egypt to join the GCC will not be far now, unless the Egyptian ‘uprising’ becomes a true ‘revolution’ that sweeps away military rule.
Mr. al-Tayeb was appointed by former dictator Hosni Mubarak from among his ruling party functionaries, whereby he promptly dropped the civilian suit for a cleric’s robe (not thobe). The Saudi Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs is yet another Al Al Shaikh, this time Abdulaziz Al Al Shaikh. Readers of my blog know by now that there are many Al Al Shaikh in top Saudi government positions, including ministers, the chief Mufti, and the chief justice. My readers also know by now that all the Al Al Shaikhs are descendants of Imam Mohammad Bin Abdulwahhab, after whom the Wahhabi sect was named. The Imam Abdulwahhab was a close ally of the Al Saud from way back in the days before the early Old West. The two clans have intermarried over generations (but it is usually a one-way traffic if you know what I mean).
The Salafi Imam Abdulwahhab is not to be confused with the late great Egyptian musician and singer Mohammed Abdel Wahab who was never a Salafi or a fundamentalist. Not even an Evangelical nor one of the Hasidim. Cheers
mhg
BFF “Dubai’s flagship Emirates airline will sponsor Britain’s first urban cable car, spanning London’s river Thames, saying it hoped the new addition to the city’s skyline would be ready for next year’s Olympics. The 60 million pound project, due to be completed next summer, will link the 02 arena, which hosts concerts and sporting events on the south bank, with the ExCeL conference center on the north side. Both arenas will host events during the 2012 Games. Emirates will sponsor the cable car river crossing in a 10-year-deal …………….”
Northern Emiratisal-Nahayan: Southerm Emirati
The picture above shows a bunch of Emiratis who run the airline. Funny, they don’t look like any al-Nahayan or al-Maktoum I have ever seen. They must be from one of the northern Emirates. Compare the photo of Shaikh Khalifa next to it (definitely a southern Emirati).
BFF
“Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday announced that Saudi Arabia had decided to free a number of Egyptian prisoners currently languishing in Saudi jails within the next few days. “There are only a handful of Egyptian prisoners in Saudi Arabia, divided into two groups,” said Ahmed Rageb, assistant foreign minister for consular and immigration affairs. “The first are those who received jail sentences for crimes committed. We can’t do anything about these, because they’re being treated according to Saudi law.” “Those in the second group, however, will be released before the end of October, in line with an agreement we reached with Saudi ambassador to Cairo Ahmed Al-Qattan,” added Rageb……..” The first group of Egyptian “had received prison sentences and are treated according to ‘Saudi’ law‘” (they are lucky they were not beheaded). Then the “second” group, that will be released soon, was held for what? There is no explanation of why and for how long they have been held. Are they held according to Saudi lawlessness? I know many Saudi citizens are also being held according to the country’s lawlessness (no charges, no trials, no lawyers). Some of the Saudis have been held for months, some for years. The Egyptians may be more fortunate than many of the Saudis: they have a government that looks after their interests if they are arrested without charges. The Saudis have no one to look after their interests if they are arrested without charges (the U.S. State Department wouldn’t dare). Khaled al- Jehany has been held since March without a trace, without charges, others have been held for years. Saudi law is what the king and the princes decide since the courts are peopled by tame palace judges and clergy. Wahhabi faux-liberals in Gulf media tend to overlook these ‘nuances’ of human rights in the region. But they probably have no choice.
American media raised a storm last week when an Evangelical religious pastor supporter of the Texas Governor called the Mormon (sect) of Mitt Romney a “cult”. Initially, having been conditioned back on my Gulf to certain derogatory remarks, I was surprised at the media storm. In recent years on my Gulf people often call each others’ sects and faiths things that are worse than a mere “cult”. This has been especially the case since growth of the imported Salafi Wahhabi cult. It has exasperated sectarian divisions into open hostility. This pastor must have been reading the website of the sectarian Saudi Alarabiya network, or maybe he has been watching the extremely sectarian-baiting television and other media of the Bahrain government. At least he did not call Mr. Romney a terrorist plotter and an agent of a foreign regime (not the Saudi regime). And he does not need to import foreign mercenaries and import officially-approved American weapons, all with Saudi money, to shoot at Mr. Romney.
BFF
“The scrublands that surround Moammar Kadafi’s hometown have become a confused patchwork of loyalties. As vehicles of the revolutionary forces patrolled the dusty villages in newly seized territory Sunday, many residents peered angrily from their homes. “The rebels are worse than rats. NATO is the same as Osama bin Laden,” said a father, his seven children crowding around him. Surt has been a primary target in the seven-month NATO bombing campaign that helped rebel forces gain control of most of Libya. The intensity of the bombing, coupled with recent rocket attacks by the opposition forces, has turned Surt into a “living hell,” several families said. Hundreds of families fled the city Sunday, anticipating a new assault. But too frightened, angry or mistrustful to flee to opposition-controlled territory, many sought refuge in nearby loyalist homes……….” The new Libyan rulers, or rather their NATO and other allies, have so far failed to dislodge the Qaddafi side from Sirte (or is it Surt) and Bani Walid. Apparently Bani Walid was a near disaster for the new Tripoli government. There are also other towns and villages and regions that are still contested in the vast Libyan desert. Neither Bani Walid nor Sirte have turned into the decisive OK Corral that the NTC and world media expected it to be. The Clantons are still fighting, the Earps are trying, and Doc Holiday NATO is getting frustrated. Told ya: Arab dictators and depots, be they royal or military, are very hard to dislodge. Bin Ali and Mubarak were surprised by the speed of the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, but the others were ready. From Libya to Syria to Yemen to Bahrain to Algeria, even to Saudi Arabia, the oligarchs were ready when the Arab Spring spread toward their neck of the woods. Cheers
mhg
Rattlesnake Ridge 
BFF
Ruler of Dubai
