Hezbollah isn’t happy. Joe Biden’s surprise visit is causing them indigestion. It’s the most senior U.S. official sent to Lebanon in 26 years, which comes too close to the June 7th election for Hezbollah’s comfort. Biden said he had come to show U.S. support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, which “cannot and will not be traded away.” [...]
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The Trouble with Saudis
Earth to Saudis, get a grip. Oh, but not on your woman. Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily newspaper based in Riyadh, reported that Judge Hamad Al-Razine said that “if a person gives SR 1,200 [$320] to his wife and she spends 900 riyals [$240] to purchase an abaya [the black cover that women in [...]
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Foreign Affairs: What’s Next for the Peace Process?
I’ll be attending a forum on the Middle East peace process this afternoon moderated by Steve Clemons. You can follow on Twitter. Now let’s just hope I don’t get stuck in the snow.
‘Direct Diplomacy’ …and Obama on Al Arabiya
–updated– httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO_lLttxxrs Some welcome news: President Barack Obama’s administration will engage in “direct diplomacy” with Iran, the newly installed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Monday. Not since before the 1979 Iranian revolution are U.S. officials believed to have conducted wide-ranging direct diplomacy with Iranian officials. But U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice warned that Iran [...]
World Reaction to Hillary
via Xinhua/Zhang Yan While the editorials from the New York Times and Washington Post focused on Bill Clinton’s global work, the world was more interested in what Hillary Clinton’s statements meant in contrast to Bush-Cheney policies. The world welcomed the change, because the bigger picture has nothing to do with Bill. That Clinton’s respect from [...]
In Our World
Taj and Trident Tower reopen, but not the Oberoi which will take another seven months or so. An unsmiling policeman stood behind sandbags, rifle poised. If the metal detector beeped, a polite staffer requested guests to have their bags checked. Besides the security, on Saturday, a day before the Trident reopened, it felt like the [...]
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Israel’s Preemptive Syrian Strike Redux
Last year’s Lebanese debacle for Olmert meant Israel felt it had to re-establish the country’s military prowess. Cue up the strike against Syria. The New York Times has more today, including a source who admits to that fact. Israel’s air attack on Syria last month was directed against a site that Israeli and American intelligence [...]
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Hoping for the Worst
Being prepared for anything is one thing, but the neocons are just gnashing their teeth for more war, not to mention nudging it along. As for the presidential candidates, no one is willing to go out on a limb and criticize Israel on anything, but Rudy is positively nuts if he thinks his ideas are [...]
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Our Nukes are Better than Yours
Israeli fighter jetIDF-Reuters It’s the wingnut philosophy on nuclear proliferation. It’s why we have a modern arms race right now. That’s also why the US had better start harking back to the Bush Doctrine on terror-supporting states. Israel has the right idea, and if we don’t stop nuclear arms from getting to terrorists, it won’t [...]
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Israel – Lebanon: Bolton Blows it Again
Israel – Lebanon: Bolton Blows it Again –updated– How many times do we have to endure this insipid, yet highly dangerous, stupidity? Oh right, I keep forgetting what Joe said. Bush will be president for a couple of more years so just STFU. Evidently, in the middle of working on the draft resolution for the [...]
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EXPERT ANALYSIS: Charles Peña on Lebanon
EXPERT ANALYSIS: Charles Peña on Lebanon The following is a guest post from Chuck Peña, whom I heard speak at Steve Clemons' New America Foundation in Washington, D.C. not too long ago. I was struck by Pena's amazing candor, his blunt analysis and his unemotional clarity on the issues. At the time he was discussing [...]
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Rockets, Lebanon, and Tom Friedman
First, some very big and exciting news. Congratulations to Ned Lamont and everyone working so hard on his campaign. As Joh mentioned yesterday, the New York Times has endorsed him. Needless to say, this is huge, not because it's an editorial endorsement. It's huge because the Times has always backed Lieberman. Not even Bill Clinton [...]
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America will be Blamed for Israel’s Actions
It's official. They've cracked. Ed Rogers called the Israeli – Lebanon conflict a “side-show” today on “Hardball.” He went on to say, “when in trouble make some rubble.” The man thinks this carnage will help the Republicans politically, especially in November. Like I said above, they've cracked. Out of the mouth of a Bushie. Someone [...]
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About Syria
UPDATE (12:21 p.m.): John McLaughlin speaks… Lesson No. 4 is that even superpowers have to talk to bad guys. The absence of a diplomatic relationship with Iran and the deterioration of the one with Syria — two countries that bear enormous responsibility for the current crisis — leave the United States with fewer options and [...]
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BUSH: Syria Can Save the Middle East
–updated– UPDATE: A couple of sites for you: Blogging Beirut; and Israellycool” is “liveblogging the war.” Please, if you know of other blogs in the current war region, please let me know in the comments. … Oh, and by the way, this is just nuts…. as is this piece from The New Republic, which also [...]
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