A good documentary about Bahrain by Al Jazeera.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Monday, August 08, 2011
Western (Sunni Arab) Iraq is with Syrian majority
Predictably, Iraq is divided on Syria: "Along Iraq's western frontier, Syria's unrest is stoking local sympathies and security fears in a Sunni Muslim heartland where Iraqis share strong tribal loyalties with their Syrian kin."
Iraqi Sunni Arabs are with the right side this time, and the Iraqi Shia should be with them. I suspect many Iraqi Shia are with them and would like to see an end to Assad's regime.
The Arab states are clearly divided along sectarian lines with respect to Syria. It's embarrassing to see al Maliki not saying a word.
The Lebanese are also divided: "The new Lebanese government yesterday sent its foreign minister to support Bashshar's oppression and today it issued a statement supporting the statement by the Saudi King which condemned (in convoluted Wahhabi language) Syrian repression."
But: "Lebanon must denounce Syria ‘massacre:’ Hariri"
Iraqi Sunni Arabs are with the right side this time, and the Iraqi Shia should be with them. I suspect many Iraqi Shia are with them and would like to see an end to Assad's regime.
The Arab states are clearly divided along sectarian lines with respect to Syria. It's embarrassing to see al Maliki not saying a word.
The Lebanese are also divided: "The new Lebanese government yesterday sent its foreign minister to support Bashshar's oppression and today it issued a statement supporting the statement by the Saudi King which condemned (in convoluted Wahhabi language) Syrian repression."
But: "Lebanon must denounce Syria ‘massacre:’ Hariri"
3 Sunni Kings recall their ambassadors to Syria
"Bahrain and Kuwait recalled their ambassadors to Syria on Monday as Syrian security forces continue a deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters in the eastern city of Deir al-Zour.
The recall followed Saudi Arabia’s withdrawal of its ambassador in Damascus on Sunday, when security forces backed by government tanks attacked Deir al-Zour killing 50 people.
Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah said the bloodshed in Syria is unacceptable while Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad al-Khalifa said Damascus must “resort to reason.”
It sucks when the Gulfie douchebags look like the good guys.
The recall followed Saudi Arabia’s withdrawal of its ambassador in Damascus on Sunday, when security forces backed by government tanks attacked Deir al-Zour killing 50 people.
Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah said the bloodshed in Syria is unacceptable while Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad al-Khalifa said Damascus must “resort to reason.”
It sucks when the Gulfie douchebags look like the good guys.
Sunday, August 07, 2011
"Paradise Now" and "Rescue Dawn" on Current TV
Last night I watched two excellent movies (on Current) I had never seen before.
"Paradise Now (Arabic: الجنّة الآن) is a 2005 film directed by Hany Abu-Assad about two Palestinian men preparing for a suicide attack in Israel. It won a Golden Globe for best foreign language film and was nominated for an Academy Award in the same category."
Nominated for an Academy Award? The American Academy Award? America is changing. 20 years ago this film might have been portrayed by American media as sympathetic to terrorists. Maybe conservative Americans still believe this.
The film focuses on two days in the lives of two young men living in the West Bank. They are chosen to be suicide bombers, so they were made to look like westerners. It's amazing how white some Palestinians look when they shave, cut their hair, and wear suits. I wonder if the movie would have received as much attention if the would-be suicide bombers were dark-skinned. It's an great movie nonetheless, and I'm glad to see it on American TV!
Also I am looking forward to seeing One Day in September, "a 1999 documentary film directed by Kevin Macdonald examining the 5 September 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany." The documentary was featured in 50 Documentaries To See Before You Die and it was shown on Current TV, but I missed it. I hope they show it again.
Immediately after Paradise Now I watched Rescue Dawn, "a 2007 war drama film directed by Werner Herzog, based on an adapted screenplay written from his acclaimed 1997 documentary, Little Dieter Needs to Fly. The film stars Christian Bale, and is based on the true story of a German-American pilot named Dieter Dengler, who is shot down and captured by villagers sympathetic to the Pathet Lao during an American military campaign in the Vietnam War."
The beginning of Rescue Dawn is footage of US aircraft bombing targets (in a jungle village) in Laos. It's a secret operation, one in which a pilot crashes and survives. He is caught, ends up in a POW camp with other Americans, he escapes, is caught again. What an ordeal!
"Paradise Now (Arabic: الجنّة الآن) is a 2005 film directed by Hany Abu-Assad about two Palestinian men preparing for a suicide attack in Israel. It won a Golden Globe for best foreign language film and was nominated for an Academy Award in the same category."
Nominated for an Academy Award? The American Academy Award? America is changing. 20 years ago this film might have been portrayed by American media as sympathetic to terrorists. Maybe conservative Americans still believe this.
The film focuses on two days in the lives of two young men living in the West Bank. They are chosen to be suicide bombers, so they were made to look like westerners. It's amazing how white some Palestinians look when they shave, cut their hair, and wear suits. I wonder if the movie would have received as much attention if the would-be suicide bombers were dark-skinned. It's an great movie nonetheless, and I'm glad to see it on American TV!
Also I am looking forward to seeing One Day in September, "a 1999 documentary film directed by Kevin Macdonald examining the 5 September 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany." The documentary was featured in 50 Documentaries To See Before You Die and it was shown on Current TV, but I missed it. I hope they show it again.
Immediately after Paradise Now I watched Rescue Dawn, "a 2007 war drama film directed by Werner Herzog, based on an adapted screenplay written from his acclaimed 1997 documentary, Little Dieter Needs to Fly. The film stars Christian Bale, and is based on the true story of a German-American pilot named Dieter Dengler, who is shot down and captured by villagers sympathetic to the Pathet Lao during an American military campaign in the Vietnam War."
The beginning of Rescue Dawn is footage of US aircraft bombing targets (in a jungle village) in Laos. It's a secret operation, one in which a pilot crashes and survives. He is caught, ends up in a POW camp with other Americans, he escapes, is caught again. What an ordeal!
Friday, August 05, 2011
US govt's credit rating downgraded for 1st time
MSNBC: US government loses triple-A credit rating
"US debt now rated lower than some European countries'; rating agency says deficit plan doesn't go far enough
...U.S. Treasuries, once undisputedly the safest investment in the world, are now rated lower than bonds issued by countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France or Canada."
A bunch of socialist countries are doing better than we are economically? How'd that happen?
This comes at the end of a week in which stocks are down what, 4%? I wonder how this will affect mortgage interest rates.
"US debt now rated lower than some European countries'; rating agency says deficit plan doesn't go far enough
...U.S. Treasuries, once undisputedly the safest investment in the world, are now rated lower than bonds issued by countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France or Canada."
A bunch of socialist countries are doing better than we are economically? How'd that happen?
This comes at the end of a week in which stocks are down what, 4%? I wonder how this will affect mortgage interest rates.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Rachel Maddow points out stupidity of birthers
and she does it in a humorous way on Barack Obama's birthday. Good stuff, Rachel Maddow.
Update:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Update:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
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