Author Archives: iPouya

The Weblog is Back!

Posted on October 6, 2011 by iPouya

Since I really don’t have much of a background in website maintenance and html, whenever this weblog runs into technical trouble, it may take a day or two (or a couple weeks in this recent case) for me to get … Continue reading →

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Palestinian statehood: plan emerges to avoid UN showdown

Posted on September 20, 2011 by iPouya

You want to know why Obama is scrambling to strong-arm Abbas and his allies who have pledged to vote yes for Palestinian statehood into dropping their bid? After getting elected, Obama went to Cairo to speak about bridging the divide … Continue reading →

Posted in Palestine | 3 Comments

Palestine’s Bid for UN Recognition

Posted on September 18, 2011 by iPouya

Not all Palestinians are on board with this, especially since it only concerns 22% of historic Palestine and is a decision taken by some PLO factions, which do not represent all Palestinians inside the territories and outside. Here’s the informative … Continue reading →

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Video: Hero’s Welcome for Erdogan in Egypt

Posted on September 13, 2011 by iPouya

Some more indications of the new emerging Middle East. See it here.

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Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing a Wider Siege

Posted on September 11, 2011 by iPouya

This one paragraph really wraps up Israel’s predicament in the region – NYTimes: With its Cairo embassy ransacked, its ambassador to Turkey expelled and the Palestinians seeking statehood recognition at the United Nations, Israel found itself on Saturday increasingly isolated … Continue reading →

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Documentary: “Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark”

Posted on September 3, 2011 by iPouya

This is by far the best documentary I’ve seen on the uprising in Bahrain and the Saudi-backed regime’s counter-revolutionary onslaught.  It’s a little bit less than an hour but definitely worth your time. Qatar, an ally to the Saudi and … Continue reading →

Posted in al-Jazeera, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia | 2 Comments

Iran may be preparing for post-Assad Syria

Posted on September 2, 2011 by iPouya

Statements from Iranian officials indicate that Iran may be preparing for a post-Assad Syria.  Of course, the Iranian government sees the Assad regime as a major foreign policy asset in its regional soft-power network.  The Iranian government is much stronger … Continue reading →

Posted in 22 Khordad | 2 Comments

Polish-Jewish sociologist compares West Bank separation fence to Warsaw Ghetto walls

Posted on September 2, 2011 by iPouya

Ha’aretz: Sygmunt Bauman, the Jewish sociologist and one of the greatest philosophers of our time, castigated Israel harshly this week, saying it did not want peace and was afraid of it. Bauman said Israel was “taking advantage of the Holocaust … Continue reading →

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IMF attests to Iran’s economic progress(?)

Posted on August 25, 2011 by iPouya

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.

Posted in Iran | 1 Comment

Posted on August 25, 2011 by iPouya

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.

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Lebanon and Iran urge Libyan rebels to probe 33-year-old mystery

Posted on August 25, 2011 by iPouya

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 →

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Lebanon eyes TNC help on Imam Sadr

Posted on August 23, 2011 by iPouya

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 →

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Libya: The Issue of the No-Fly Zone Revisited

Posted on August 22, 2011 by iPouya

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 →

Posted in Libya | 1 Comment

The Imminenet Fall of Tripoli has its Roots in Misrata (and NATO)

Posted on August 21, 2011 by iPouya

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 →

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Tehran names street for late U.S. activist Rachel Corrie

Posted on August 18, 2011 by iPouya

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 →

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