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“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.”
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Monthly Archives: August 2011
IMF attests to Iran’s economic progress(?)
Usually when the IMF “paints a pretty picture” of any economy, you and I should be very very skeptical. But here‘s the CNN special nonetheless. It’s good food for thought.
You have to love this picture of a rebel wearing one of Qaddafi’s hats and his gold chain after raiding his Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli a couple days ago.
Posted in Libya
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Lebanon and Iran urge Libyan rebels to probe 33-year-old mystery
The Guardian: Lebanon and Iran have appealed to the Libyan rebels to investigate the fate of Moussa al-Sadr, a Shia religious leader who went missing after a flight to Tripoli in August 1978. With Gaddafi’s regime on the brink of … Continue reading
Lebanon eyes TNC help on Imam Sadr
I would be both shocked and ecstatic if the Imam was still alive. At the least, I hope his family and supporters finally get closure. PressTV: “The Lebanese government has decided to recognize the National Transitional Council in Libya,” read … Continue reading
Libya: The Issue of the No-Fly Zone Revisited
Back when the issue of the no-fly zone was being debated, many on the left took a principled stand that war was not the solution and that NATO’s pending involvement would have served as an opening for imperialism. Although I’m … Continue reading
The Imminenet Fall of Tripoli has its Roots in Misrata (and NATO)
The past few days in Libya have been historic. All attention is now on Tripoli but I want to focus on Misrata here. When the rebellion first broke out, all of Libya’s major cities and smaller ones, with the exception … Continue reading
Posted in Libya
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Tehran names street for late U.S. activist Rachel Corrie
Although I definitely think Rachel Corrie should be commemorated (a city in every country should dedicate a street to her or to other martyrs who died for justice in Palestine). I think Iran has little to no credibility to exalt … Continue reading
Posted in Iran
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Video: The IMF, Dictators, and the Arab World
See the al Jazeera video here.
Posted in Middle East
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A Lifetime Quest to Finish a Monumental Encyclopedia of Iran
After reading this, I couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of respect for this man. NYT: Ralph Ellison wrote for 40 years without finishing his novel “Juneteenth.†Antoni Gaudà labored 43 years on the Sagrada FamÃlia basilica in Barcelona, … Continue reading
Posted in Academics, Iran
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Iraqi Leader Backs Syria, With a Nudge From Iran
To say that the uprisings in Syria, or anywhere in the region, are al-Qaeda orchestrated is to insult to whole towns and cities which are giving martyrs on a daily basis to overthrow their dictatorial regimes. I mean, what a … Continue reading
Racism in Israeli Textbooks
The Zionist lobby would have us focus exclusively on racism in Palestinian textbooks, but this article is revealing of a military-minded racism in Israeli textbooks: “Nurit Peled-Elhanan, an Israeli academic, mother and political radical, summons up an image of rows … Continue reading
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Iran Sanctions: Pressure on Dubai
See the video here.
Posted in Iran
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Moqtada al-Sadr Warns U.S. Troops to Leave Iraq
NYT: “They will be treated as anyone who stays in Iraq, as a tyrannical occupier that must be resisted by military means,†Mr. Sadr said in his statement, partly aimed at Iraqi political leaders. “The government which agrees to them … Continue reading
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Syria: Dmitry Medvedev warns Bashar al-Assad to prepare for ‘sad fate’
The Telegraph: “Assad needs to urgently launch reforms, make peace with the opposition, restore civil order and create a modern state. If he cannot do that, a sad fate awaits him, and we will also be forced to ultimately take … Continue reading
Posted in Syria
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300 Dead in Hama in 6 Days
The al-Assad family has long been killing people in Hama. Yet, the city endures as a center of resistance. alArabiya: At least 58 civilians have been killed by the Syrian army and security forces in Hama on Friday, raising the … Continue reading
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