Monthly Archives: September 2012

Arab Revolutions, Bahrain, GCC

Regime Change on the Persian Gulf? Repressive Yesterday, More Repressive Today ……..

   

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“In the sweltering reaches of the petroleous Persian Gulf, where Britain maintains some of the last outposts of Empire, Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser has waged a long, hot campaign of intrigue and propaganda to get the “imperialists” out—and himself in. Last week the British inflicted two significant defeats on their foe. The first setback for Nasser came in Bahrein, a tiny cluster of Persian Gulf islands where Sheik Isa bin Sulman al Khalifa unconditionally reaffirmed all existing agreements under which Whitehall uses his prosperous kingdom as a military and diplomatic pied-a-terre……….. For all his benevolence, however, the plump, diminutive Sheik is an unabashed autocrat …………..Consequently, many Bahreinis listen approvingly to broadcasts from Cairo and Baghdad denouncing Sheik Isa as a feudalist and a British stooge. Their chief source of resentment is the Sheik’s 800-man British-officered police force. When oil workers went on strike last March, the Sheik’s tough cops cracked down hard, killing twelve and wounding 50, repressed Nasser-inspired student riots last month with equal severity. Opponents of Sheik Isa often end up in a mystery-shrouded prison on desolate Jidah Island……………”

That was in 1965. Yet things have not improved in Bahrain in terms of freedom and equality and justice. They have gotten worse in the past decade.


No doubt there is one solution left untried in Bahrain. It is the same that was started in Tunisia and Libya and Egypt. The same solution that will most likely be in place in Syria sometime in the future. The same solution the American Colonists tried when all; else failed so long ago.
It seems that this corrupt regime of this sectarian tribal clan must go if there is to be a reconciliation between the people and the rulers. When a majority of the people can’t get their rights under a system, then it is time for change. When a small ruling elite insists on keeping in place a system of apartheid against the majority, then it is time for the South African solution. Time to depose the apartheid regime, just as it was time to change the other Arab regimes, the other dinosaurs.
(That may require some changes in the Arabian Peninsula itself, to liberate its peoples from their own corrupt repressive ruling tribal clan).

Cheers
mhg
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Iran

The Rafsanjani Family go to Prison……………

   

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“Mehdi Hashemi, the son of Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who arrived in Tehran late on Sunday, attended the court hearing on Monday.
After his arraignment, he was sent to prison. He faces charges of inciting unrest after the 2009 presidential election. He returned home after spending three years in Britain. Faezeh Hashemi, the daughter of Rafsanjani, was also put in prison on Saturday as she had been sentenced to a six-month jail under charges of spreading propaganda against the system…………”


There are many in Iran who are of the system but against the ‘system’. There are many who support the system but oppose the regime. They include not only the younger generation, but also many older clerics in Qom and other places who do not accept the philosophy of an unelected supreme leader. Even those who support the concept of an Islamic Republic. Then there are the thousands who are unknown and are in prison.
Cheers
mhg
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Arabian Peninsula, Corruption, Saudi Arabia

Revisiting “Gangs of Arabia: Oil Fiefdoms and Turf Wars, Ivanhoe and Isaac of Qatif”……………

   

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I posted about this last year. I am reproducing part of it here although there have been some “cosmetic” changes of names. The main thrust of what I wrote then remains, the repression goes on, the robbery endures. The Crown Prince at the time, Prince Sultan is dead, I should say the “former former” crown prince is dead. The former next in line to be crown prince, Prince Nayef, in fact became crown prince for a few months. Then he died too. He was the former crown prince. The former next in line at the time was Prince Salman; now he is the current crown prince. Nobody has been yet appointed as a second next in line, or a third next in line. The princes are positioning themselves and their sons for the fight over the throne, and it will be a hell of a fight. Get your popcorn and soda, turn off your cellphone, and wait. And enjoy it unfold over the next few months, when King Abdullah dies and the struggle intensifies for power and for the billions of dollars of money that are annually stolen from the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula:
 “Gangs of Arabia:
Oil Fiefdoms and Turf Wars, Ivanhoe and Isaac of Qatif………

The clock is ticking and time is running out for the combatants to position themselves. Here is a summary of the turf wars and how the Saudi pie is being split now among the “next” generation (meaning those in their 70’s and up):
1. The crown prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz is seriously ill and highly unlikely to become king. He spends his time between an undisclosed location at home and American hospitals and Moroccan recuperation. He has appointed his son Khaled as deputy defense minister, meaning he is to inherit the ministry as well as becoming the minister of aviation and inspector general (recalling Danny Kaye now).
2. Prince Nayef Bin Abdulaziz is next in line and almost certainly the next king. He is a seriously conservative man and is against any type of elections. He famously said a couple of years ago that “Elections can never produce good people of the quality that we appoint” (and that was long before the Tea Party gained control of the U.S. Congress!). He is the minister of interior, in charge of police and security and secret police and terrorism and arrests and prisons and prisoners without charges and whatever goes in the dark cells. He has appointed his son Mohammed as a deputy minister, meaning he is to inherit the ministry when the father either becomes king or dies, whichever comes first.
3. Then there is the king himself and he is no slouch when it comes to his interests and the interests of his children. Abdullah was head of the National Guard, a parallel army, since forever. Last year he appointed one of his sons to replace him as head of the Guard. Thus the king has staked the permanent claim of ‘his’ branch of the al-Saud clan.
4. That leaves the Foreign Ministry, forever headed by Prince Saud al-Faisal. He is reportedly ailing without a clear heir. At one time there were two apparent claimants competing for the ministry, or at least there seemed to be, until King Abdullah appointed his son Abdulaziz as Deputy Foreign Minister, thus staking the claim of his own ‘branch’ of the al-Saud clan. Now Abdulaziz has the inside track as compared to Prince Turki al-Faisal brother of the current minister (and the wittiest prince, at least in public) and Prince Bandar Bin Sultan (of the famous BAE Systems bribery case that Tony Blair covered up). The foreign ministry is interesting because has become an area of unexpected competition and turf war. I had assumed it was the private reserve of the al-Faisal clan until Bandar made his move and then Abdullah appointed his own son. Apparently Bandar is a restless type, for he has reportedly made many moves inside and outside the kingdom and was allegedly involved in some palace plots. Apparently all the BAE Systems bribe money has given him more time and funds to pursue his ‘hobbies’. He was even reported at one time to be active in Iraq (not physically, but financially among the Sunni tribes and others). The foreign ministry truly reflects the current territorial infighting among the al-Saud branches: if Abdullah dies before the minister leaves, his son is not guaranteed the top job.
What is at stake is:……………………………..”
Cheers
mhg
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Iran, Israel

Shimon Perez and Ahmadinejad Squabble over Common History………….

   

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“Israeli President Shimon Peres offered his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a history lesson on Thursday, saying his lack of knowledge about the region was an embarrassment. “It was an embarrassing speech which showed a deep historical ignorance with regard to the deep historical connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel,” he said, adding that Ahmadinejad did not even know the history of his Persian ancestors. The name Israel first appeared at the end of the late Bronze Age and Israelite tribes were living in the area more than 3,000 years ago, archaeologists say. Shortly after 600 B.C., Babylonian forces swept through the lands and forced Jews into exile and captivity. But in 538 B.C. the Persians in turn conquered Babylon and King Cyrus let the Jews return to their old homeland. “Around 2,500 years ago King Cyrus, the King of Persia, granted the Jewish people led by Ezra and Nechamia the right to return to Israel and to rebuild their home. The Jews lived on the land of Israel for thousands of years and there is no lie or leader that can remove chapters of history,”…………….”

Shimon Perez is right of course, about the history. He is also wrong in claiming that Ahmadinejad is ignorant of the history. The history is all there in the old testament. Some of it is even in the Quran. Ahmadinejad also knows the history: he is not really questioning the history. He may question the more recent history, better-documented with living eye-witnesses, the history of the Holocaust, but not holy ancient history. Even someone like Bin laden would not contest that history.
Cheers
mhg
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Arab Revolutions, Culture, Muslims, US Foreign Policy

Muslim Mobs, Media Savvy Mobs, KFC Mobs, Old Glory Mobs…………

   

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Ref my last posting. There is one thing many in these countries, in our countries, have in common when angry, when really angry at outside powers. Or when they are angry at local powers but can’t express it freely. Or when the economy is stagnant. Or when they are repressed and frustrated, politically and otherwise (especially ‘otherwise repressed and frustrated‘ in the fun-deprived Middle East). Or when they are irritated by some silly foreign cartoon or a video clip. Or sometimes even when they are genuinely angry at Uncle Sam for his policies.
There is one thing that unify all our mobs, from North Africa all the way to the outer islands of Indonesia. They all raise the flag of the United States, including the Salafis and other al-Qaeda supporters. They raise Old Glory, then they trample on it, all for the benefit of Western television cameras, then they burn it, all for the benefit of the Western television cameras. Our “rebels” and “protesters” now always carry signs in English rather than Arabic. Our mobs have become quite camera savvy and media savvy. CNN and Fox and Sky and the rest love it, no doubt at least partly wishing and hoping it would go on.
Oh, we have also developed a taste for fast American food. Sometimes our mobs raid a McDonald’s or KFC restaurant, ransack it, before eating all the French fries and all the crispy chicken (original recipe is the favorite). Then they may burn it.
Cheers
mhg
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Africa, Arab Revolutions, Syria, Turkey

Alawistan and Salafistan: Syrian Flag, Libyan Flag, Dahomey and Burma…………

   

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I was watching the “Syrian” flag being pushed and raised by the opposition in Syria. No, not the black al-Qaeda flag some of them are raising, but the black-white-green one. The same thing in Libya: the Qaddafi flag was replaced with the old flag. As soon as some Arabs rebel, they change their flag. WTF with that? This Syrian flag has been around before the Baath Party, before the al-Assad royal family started ruling. Since Syria was merged with Egypt for three and a half years. I read somewhere that the opposition flag dates from French colonial days. Not that it matters.
In some African countries, the rebels and military coup-makers change the name of the whole country. Congo became Zaire before returning to Congo. Dahomey became Benin, Upper Volta became Burkina Faso (Faso???).
Even in Asia: Burma became Myanmar and will no doubt become Burma again. Saigon (what a beautiful name) became Ho Chi Minh City, a very unmusical name no matter what you think of Uncle Ho as a person. For example, I suspect that Newt Gingrich and John Bolton were secret admirers, that explains why they evaded the Vietnam War.
Back to the Levant: Could Syria break up into Alawistan, Salafistan, and Kurdistan? Could Turkey break up into Alawistan (south), Kurdistan (southeast), and Ottomanstan (Anatolia)? Could Iraq break up into Shiastan, Sunnistan, and Kurdistan? Could Lebanon break up into…. wait a minute: it already is, always has been. Then there is Bahrain…………..

Cheers
mhg
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Iran, MEK, Mossad, Mujahideen Khalq, United Nations International Organizations

Photo Epiphany: Ahmadinejad as a Mossad Mole?………….

   

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                   Neck of the woods                     No, its not Saddam……………..

What looks like Saddam Hussein supporters demonstrate in New York City against the visit of Iran’s Ahmadinejad to the UN. See all the photos of a grinning leader-for-life, Saddam with the regulation thick black dyed Baathist mustache these MEK fans are carrying?
They are protesting that he, Ahmadinejad, will leave office next July and they won’t have him to kick around anymore. Between next July and Next September when the UN general Assembly meets, they’ll have to hope for the new president of Iran to be at least as loud and outrageous as Ahmadinejad.
Otherwise they’ll have to protest against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, something that doesn’t exactly excite American media or public (or maybe even AIPAC for that matter). Khamenei hardly makes public pronouncements, and is not likely to want to allow the likes of Piers Morgan to question him about whatever titillates the American and British public.
I am beginning to suspect that if it were not for Ahmadinejad and his antics and loud mouth, the United States would have never removed the Mujahideen Khalq (MEK, MKO, WTF) from the terrorist list. No matter how much money they paid politicians of both Democrat and Republican parties. Which makes me suspect something really sinister, something I had never suspected before today.

Call it my epiphany: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may well be an MEK (or MKO or WTF) mole (aka agent, aka sleeper) in the heart of the Iranian government! Which also makes Ahmadinejad, by association an Israeli mole or agent in the heart of the Iranian government, since MEK is practically an arm of Mossad. All allegedly of course. Now that Saddam is dead (he was on trial when Mahmoud was elected in 2005).


Cheers
mhg
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Arab Revolutions, Syria

A Hybrid Islamist Solution for Syria, Mr. Assad and Mr. Green and the Escort……….

   

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My unreliable source reports that Bashar al-Assad, strongman of Syria, may be amenable to a new solution to end the civil strife in his country. He is apparently talking with his closest inner circle, those who are alive, and has mentioned it to the Iranians, Hezbollah, the Russians, and the Chinese. My source tells me that he hesitates to confide his new plan in Lakhdar al-Ibrahimi (Mr. Green) because, as he claims “Lakhdar is a big mouth, can’t keep secrets. I might as well confide an in an escort“.
The plan, allegedly, entails new elections before next summer, to be supervised by Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton and Michael Gorbachev (he knows that Deng Xiaoping is dead). In the interim, political activity will be open. Al-Assad has been studying the other Arab uprisings and has learned his lesson. He knows, as they say, which way the stick floats. He sees who has been winning all elections after the overthrow of the dictators. He plans to establish his own political party and, get this: it will be an Islamist Party! He intends to compete fairly with the Free Syrian Salafi Army Party and the Syrian National Council Muslim Brotherhood Party.
He is reported to be optimistic about his chances of winning the presidency again.

Cheers
mhg
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Lebanon, Saudi Arabia

Hariri of Lebanon: Threatens to Return and Underwhelm, Elba or Saint Helena?………….

   

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Good news and glad tidings. The Future Bloc of Sa’ad Hariri believes that it is time for its non-leading leader to return to Lebanon. Now they say that Hariri has long had an “unstoppable” urge to go home. Sa’ad Hariri has promised to return to Beirut! Although he is being coy and refuses to set the day and hour. Yet, finally he is arriving, he will rise, he will underwhelm again. Not exactly Napoleon Bonaparte returning from the island of Elba; if anything more like Napoleon landing at the island of Saint Helena.
Hariri (fils) has been spending the past couple of years between Paris and Riyadh. Mostly Paris, with occasional sorties into Riyadh whenever another elderly prince ‘kicks the bucket’, or whenever he needs more cash. Media reported this past summer that the Saudi king ‘gifted’ him with US$4 billion to help him fix his finances. Only a few months before that the king had gifted him with $2 billion. I wonder where the Saudi king gets all that cash from? How does he get his Wahhabi Congress to approve all these billions in gifts for a dandy who lives mostly in France. I wonder how the poor average Saudi, barely making it, feels about all this money, his money, being gifted by the king (Hariri is also a Saudi citizen).

Hariri has two distinctions: (1) the first prime minister of Lebanon with a Saudi-style goatee (saksooka, baaa or whatever). The goatee is a souvenir of his Saudi connections; I hear from one unreliable source that the princes threatened to withdraw his Saudi citizenship and freeze his money if he shaved it. Also, (2) he was the first PM to spend a year or more abroad while in office.
Oh, he has another distinction that has changed the face of at least northern Lebanon. His bloc has reportedly for a few years financed and encouraged Salafi groups to sprout around Tripoli. Now they are causing some serious sectarian trouble.
Cheers
mhg
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France, Palestine

Most WTF Court Ruling of the Month: the Ghost of Arafat in New York, a Catharsis…………..

   

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“The BBC has been ordered by an American court to surrender unused footage filmed for a documentary about former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to American victims of suicide bombings in Israel. In a ruling which raises questions about the ability of the American justice system to seize material held by media organisations outside the United States, a judge in New York said the Corporation was obliged to hand over outtakes from interviews with two Palestinian fighters. It now has until 1 October to lodge a further appeal or produce the material along with a sworn statement from a BBC employee confirming its authenticity. The Corporation said yesterday it was still considering the ruling…………..”

WTF does a court in New York have to do with the death of Arafat, who lived in Tunisia then Jericho then Ramallah, before dying in Paris?
For that matter WTF do courts in New York have to do with affairs in the Middle East, outside Israel of course?
To be even more specific, WTF does a court in New York have to do with, oh I dunno, the conflict between Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Ahmadinejad?
And WTF does a court in New York care whether Prince Salman will ever become Saudi king and whether the next senior Saudi prince will die on schedule, right eight months after the last one departed and sixteen months after the one before the last one to die?
For that matter WTF does a court in New York have to do with whether the prime minister of Bahrain is more of a thief than a faithful husband or both equally?
And, a last shot (I promise), WTF does a court in New York have to do with such mundane things like whether Salafis shave their ‘private’ hair (they do but I can’t prove it yet) while letting their facial hair grow wild and free.
There, that sounded almost like some kind of catharsis, didn’t it?
Cheers
mhg
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