Archive for July, 2006

The article about “Lebanese wounded turn cold shoulder on Jordan aid” by Laila Bassem, has been quite popular on the Internet and when I first read it I found it troubling and worrisome. Although I found it strange that the article was published on July 28th, describing empty Jordanian field hospital tents, when the field […]



Global Voices: While the flames of war engulf Lebanon, Gaza is still under attack. Many of the victims have been Palestinian children, some barely a year old; and as their families prepare to burry them Haitham Sabbah asks the fundemental question: â??How shall we forget? How shall we forgive?â? [continue reading]

World On Fire

31Jul06

Where are the traces of our souls?
Where is the alchemy that sparks the insurgency; that lights this world on fire?
Does it lay dormant under a suspended gray sky?
Where does the dust of heroes rest; on the mountain peaks or in the valleys?
What wisdom transpires from the rubble; the white concrete painted crimson?
Yet with fervor you […]



World On Fire

30Jul06

Where are the traces of our souls?
Where is the alchemy that sparks the insurgency;
that lights this world on fire?
Does it lay dormant under a suspended gray sky?
Where does the dust of heroes rest;
on the mountain peaks or in the valleys?
What wisdom transpires from the rubble;
the white concrete painted crimson?
Yet with fervor you cling to […]



AMMAN â?? A 26-year-old Jordan Valley woman was hacked to death by her mother and sister after delivering a baby out of wedlock, an official told The Jordan Times Saturday.
The criminal prosecutor on Saturday charged the 69-year-old mother and her daughter with premeditated murder, the official said. The victim reportedly received multiple axe wounds to […]



If this doesn’t make you laugh then you’re just not having enough fun in your life…
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has ordered government and cultural bodies to use modified Persian words to replace foreign words that have crept into the language, such as “pizzas” which will now be known as “elastic loaves,” state media reported Saturday.

The […]



A lone gunman burst into a Jewish organization in downtown Seattle on Friday, killing one woman and wounding five others in what authorities were calling a hate crime.
The gunman is a U.S. citizen, and police said initial contacts with him by phone while he was inside the building indicated that he was a Muslim.
Amy Wasser-Simpson, […]



Every time a crisis happens in the region a great deal of criticism is launched upon Jordan’s stance. Mostly due to the nature of our street and its demographics as Jordanians, be they from Palestinian origins or Jordanian origins, have a strong affinity with their neighbours, especially in Palestine.
A lot has been said about the […]



Except for the US running interference the UN has been trying to condemn Israel left and right for its attacks on Lebanon. Today, in a bitter dose of irony, Israel responded to the criticism by showing the UN some much needed love…
Israeli bomb kills UN observers
Four United Nations peacekeepers have been killed in an Israeli […]



Civilians getting killed is just a lamentable side effect of spreading democracy in the Middle East. The upset stomach and diarrhea of freedom, if you will.

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Carte Blanche

22Jul06

Washington - The Bush administration is rushing a delivery of precision-guided bombs to Israel, which requested the expedited shipment last week after beginning its air campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, American officials said Friday.
The decision to quickly ship the weapons to Israel was made with relatively little debate within the Bush administration, the officials […]



In a sad funny way, this short Daily Show clip shows you how Israel’s strategy in Lebanon has some historical precedence…

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I thought this was an interesting editorial today in the Jordan Times. In light of recent events in the region it kind of reminded me of what it means to say “We Are All Jordan”.
With its own people who work or study abroad coming back for the holidays, and with tens of thousands of Arab […]



I guess in light of recent events no price is high enough when it comes to safety and I think the drivers do have a justified point or two. Anyways, Welcome to Amman…
Taxi fares between Beirut and Amman have tripled as thousands of citizens and tourists scramble to flee Lebanon since Israel launched its offensive […]



The Daily Mirror has the full transcript but here is an excerpt

BUSH: Yo, Blair - how are you doing?
BLAIR: I’m just…
BUSH: You’re leaving?
BLAIR: No, no, no not yet. On this trade thingy. This is a reference to discussions on agreeing a new international trade deal through the World Trade Organisation.
…..
BUSH: You see, the thing is […]



Next In Line

18Jul06

Frame a Hassan Nasrallah picture

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