Abu Nidal
The full story: http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100128/FOREIGN/701279930/1186/enewsletter
(Image: credit)
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Something Fishy
“Isn’t it ridiculous that fishermen are required to buy fish from other fishermen, in another country?”
Abu Nidal
The full story: http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100128/FOREIGN/701279930/1186/enewsletter
(Image: credit)
Abu Nidal
The full story: http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100128/FOREIGN/701279930/1186/enewsletter
(Image: credit)
Monday, 25 January 2010
Mensa Words
Guys.. I received this list via e-mail not so long ago. It really made me laugh. It's also quite sophisticated, so my simple mind did not understand every single word. However, I hope you'll find it fun and interesting.
The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again invited readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.
Here are the winners:
1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxicaton : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone ( n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
6. Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
7.. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high
8. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
11. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
13. Glibido : All talk and no action.
14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.
The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.
And the winners are:
1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.
3. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.
6. Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.
7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle, n. A humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms. (I presume you get this "Oy" reference.)
15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again invited readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.
Here are the winners:
1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxicaton : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone ( n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
6. Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
7.. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high
8. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
11. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
13. Glibido : All talk and no action.
14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.
The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.
And the winners are:
1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.
3. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.
6. Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.
7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle, n. A humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms. (I presume you get this "Oy" reference.)
15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
Friday, 22 January 2010
Muslims in Mecca
I read this article and it made me sad, and made me think:
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100120/BUSINESS/701209871/1186/enewsletter
They are opening a brand new luxury hotel in Mecca, Saudi Arabia and the VIPs from the hotel's management cannot attend the ceremony since they are not Muslims. Perhaps they should consider temporary conversion, just like some Muslims use temporary marriage to justify sex with prostitutes. Both are frowned upon obviously, and I'm sure that the former is punishable by some pretty painful stuff in Sharia law.
Anyway, the point of this post is why does Mecca exclude non-Muslims from visiting? It even gives Iranians a lot of difficulty because they are Shia Muslims and considered almost from a different faith.
Why does Saudi Arabia have the right to apply this rule? Isn't Mecca (and Madina) Muslim cities for all the Muslims? Why shouldn't Muslims have a say about this, and I don't mean only those in the Saudi Government? I am sure that moderates in Iran, Morocco, the UAE, and Egypt would allow non-Muslims. After all, the big mosques in those countries are all open to non-Muslims.
What does this say about Muslims and Islam? We have something to hide? Of course so! I've been to the Vatican and La Sagrada Famiglia and probably a hundred churches and a few synagogues too. They don't ask for your faith, but for your respect. Most mosques actively welcome non-Muslims, but again, they ask for your respect.
(Image taken by BuJ, Barcelona, Catalan, Espana 2007)
I'm sure that the Prophet (PBUH) would support this, because he never actually banned peaceful non-Muslims from Mecca or Madina. In fact he actively traded with Jews and respected Christians (who respected him back). Jews and Christians are considered "people of the book" and should be protected in Islam. All of Judaism's and Christianity's prophets are revered in Islam.
Perhaps it's time for Saudi Arabia to wisen up, and open up.
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100120/BUSINESS/701209871/1186/enewsletter
They are opening a brand new luxury hotel in Mecca, Saudi Arabia and the VIPs from the hotel's management cannot attend the ceremony since they are not Muslims. Perhaps they should consider temporary conversion, just like some Muslims use temporary marriage to justify sex with prostitutes. Both are frowned upon obviously, and I'm sure that the former is punishable by some pretty painful stuff in Sharia law.
Anyway, the point of this post is why does Mecca exclude non-Muslims from visiting? It even gives Iranians a lot of difficulty because they are Shia Muslims and considered almost from a different faith.
Why does Saudi Arabia have the right to apply this rule? Isn't Mecca (and Madina) Muslim cities for all the Muslims? Why shouldn't Muslims have a say about this, and I don't mean only those in the Saudi Government? I am sure that moderates in Iran, Morocco, the UAE, and Egypt would allow non-Muslims. After all, the big mosques in those countries are all open to non-Muslims.
What does this say about Muslims and Islam? We have something to hide? Of course so! I've been to the Vatican and La Sagrada Famiglia and probably a hundred churches and a few synagogues too. They don't ask for your faith, but for your respect. Most mosques actively welcome non-Muslims, but again, they ask for your respect.
(Image taken by BuJ, Barcelona, Catalan, Espana 2007)
I'm sure that the Prophet (PBUH) would support this, because he never actually banned peaceful non-Muslims from Mecca or Madina. In fact he actively traded with Jews and respected Christians (who respected him back). Jews and Christians are considered "people of the book" and should be protected in Islam. All of Judaism's and Christianity's prophets are revered in Islam.
Perhaps it's time for Saudi Arabia to wisen up, and open up.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Lane Dis-cipline
The subject here is obvious. It's the lack of lane discipline in this country, the UAE. We have amazing roads, really world-class, but completely shite drivers. When you have more than one lane, you need to observe lane discipline. I'm not going to explain or define what that is, because most people should know it (if you have a driving license) and because the name is self-explanatory.
We have two kinds of morons on our roads. First is the type that use the 2nd fastest lane (they usually have light trucks or mini-busses, painted white) and they drive 40% slower than people on either side of them. This is very unsafe since it creates an island, and drivers have to overtake from either side. Obviously under-taking is illegal, but when the road is busy, many drivers do it. Sometimes you have no choice. My friend was once penalised (fine + points) for undertaking in the UAE because the car in front of him in the fastest lane would not move. Seriously, Police, you should fine the people who do not understand the concept of land discipline. We need to educate people, starting with the Police. You cannot apply a rule without understanding it first, no?
Anyway, back to the first type of morons. What happens when you have an island of traffic in the middle of the road is that it just confuses everyone and is a huge hazard. The Police recently published some publicity about honouring drivers who have not had a single penalty in the last 50 years. Have you seen the roads in the 1980s and before? Not a single radar. Not a single traffic jam. No wonder, there are no fines. Then these folk are probably too old to drive now and yet have a driving license (there is no maximum age law in the UAE), and most do not pass driving/eyesight tests to drive. Anyway, I criticise the Police, they need to look at all aspects of driving and not just focus on speeding or the use of a seatbelt. Oh yeah, the demographic of this first group of morons are the ever-popular Indian Subcon people, as demonstrated in the picture above taken from India (image credit: Picasa)
The second type of Moron is he who drives in the fastest lane and yet is the slowest driver. I won't waste much time on this, because it's obvious how dangerous that is. Sadly, as mentioned above, the Police do not penalise them and penalise those who overtake from the wrong side (undertaking) to move forward. These people usually become non-responsive if you use your high-beam to indicate your need to overtake, or your horn. They usually have stickers written in Arabic on the back of the car, and they are usually Emarati with a driving IQ between that of a goat and a 13-year old dog.
(image credit: here)
Note that we have minimum speed laws on the motorways here, but no one is aware of them, especially the Police. If they are reading (doubt many of their types can read English), then please note and take action. We're a laughing stock to the world, we have the best roads and the worst drivers and a lack of smart policing.
We have two kinds of morons on our roads. First is the type that use the 2nd fastest lane (they usually have light trucks or mini-busses, painted white) and they drive 40% slower than people on either side of them. This is very unsafe since it creates an island, and drivers have to overtake from either side. Obviously under-taking is illegal, but when the road is busy, many drivers do it. Sometimes you have no choice. My friend was once penalised (fine + points) for undertaking in the UAE because the car in front of him in the fastest lane would not move. Seriously, Police, you should fine the people who do not understand the concept of land discipline. We need to educate people, starting with the Police. You cannot apply a rule without understanding it first, no?
Anyway, back to the first type of morons. What happens when you have an island of traffic in the middle of the road is that it just confuses everyone and is a huge hazard. The Police recently published some publicity about honouring drivers who have not had a single penalty in the last 50 years. Have you seen the roads in the 1980s and before? Not a single radar. Not a single traffic jam. No wonder, there are no fines. Then these folk are probably too old to drive now and yet have a driving license (there is no maximum age law in the UAE), and most do not pass driving/eyesight tests to drive. Anyway, I criticise the Police, they need to look at all aspects of driving and not just focus on speeding or the use of a seatbelt. Oh yeah, the demographic of this first group of morons are the ever-popular Indian Subcon people, as demonstrated in the picture above taken from India (image credit: Picasa)
The second type of Moron is he who drives in the fastest lane and yet is the slowest driver. I won't waste much time on this, because it's obvious how dangerous that is. Sadly, as mentioned above, the Police do not penalise them and penalise those who overtake from the wrong side (undertaking) to move forward. These people usually become non-responsive if you use your high-beam to indicate your need to overtake, or your horn. They usually have stickers written in Arabic on the back of the car, and they are usually Emarati with a driving IQ between that of a goat and a 13-year old dog.
(image credit: here)
Note that we have minimum speed laws on the motorways here, but no one is aware of them, especially the Police. If they are reading (doubt many of their types can read English), then please note and take action. We're a laughing stock to the world, we have the best roads and the worst drivers and a lack of smart policing.
Dubai assassination is latest of Mossad’s miscalculations
Dubai assassination is latest of Mossad’s miscalculations
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100219/OPINION/702189968/1080/foreign
Alan Philps
* Last Updated: February 19. 2010 12:29AM UAE / February 18. 2010 8:29PM GMT
It is said that the perfect spy is someone who cannot attract a waiter’s attention in a restaurant. This seems to be true of the hit team which murdered the Hamas military leader, Mahmoud al Mabhouh, in Dubai last month. The individuals revealed by the Dubai police are no Sean Connerys or Mata Haris, rather the type of people you would not remember if you bumped into them on the street.
The unforgiving camera angles of closed circuit TV footage and the dorky disguises they used only accentuate their grim ordinariness. Surely the ranks of young men and women wanting to join the world’s security services – many of them addicts of the BBC’s Spooks and similar glossy intelligence dramas – will now fall off.
The painstaking work of the Dubai police has proved one thing. The all-seeing surveillance camera has killed off the notion that a forgettable face, a wig and a moustache are enough to make a good sleuth. To the surprise and embarrassment of the Israelis, the Dubai police have been able to combine their surveillance footage with visual intelligence from different hotels, the airport and passport control, as well as cell phone information, to put together a timeline of the operation and a compelling movie, complete with cast list – an Ocean’s 11 stripped of glamour.
As the Israeli investigative journalist and expert on the Mossad, Ronen Bergman, has concluded: “This is the end of an era, the end of the assassination that leaves no trace, where you could perform such an operation with no marks. In the modern age it leaves a lot of marks, whatever way you perform it.”
Apart from that, there is much that remains murky in the operation. Reaction in Israel, initially quietly jubilant, is now tempered with unease over the political and diplomatic fallout. The standard Israeli government response to any accusation of assassination on foreign territory, the challenge of “Prove it!”, is pitifully threadbare in this case. The fact that the passports of British citizens who live in Israel were cloned to provide false papers points the finger unerringly at Mossad and makes the organisation look cavalier with the security of its own citizens.
According to security sources quoted by the BBC yesterday, the cloning of the passports was done to a very high degree of sophistication, beyond the capability of most intelligence services. This is further evidence of Israeli involvement, as Israel has a long record of faking British passports.
In the 1980s Israel promised to stop this practice after a courier taking a consignment of eight blank British passports to the Israeli embassy in Bonn – then the capital of West Germany – left them in a phone booth. The passports were picked up by the German police, and eventually traced to Israel.
The passport issue, as well as the revelation that the Israeli embassy in London was funding a Palestinian double agent who was hiding a big arms cache in the city of Hull, caused the British government to order a freeze in relations with Mossad and the expulsion of three operatives. The Mossad station in London was effectively closed down – but not for long. By 1998 there were five operatives back working in the London embassy, according to a standard history of the organisation.
The summoning of the Israeli ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, to the foreign office yesterday to explain the use of fake British passports should be seen in this light. While politics demands that the Israelis be reprimanded when they are caught out, normal co-operation between western intelligence services and Mossad tends to be restored fairly quickly. The key fact is that the Israelis are never caught cloning American documents. That would get the organisation into real trouble, whereas the wrath of European countries can be dismissed, or so it has proved in the past.
There are calls in the Israeli press for the current Mossad director general Meir Dagan to quit. But it seems unlikely he will go. He has a reputation for daring which pleases the Israeli public. He would have known that a murder in a five-star hotel would yield some embarrassing surveillance footage, but it was clearly considered a risk worth taking.
Israel wants the world to be repeatedly reminded that its arm is long. Mr Dagan is generally credited with the assassination of Imad Mughniyeh, the military commander of Hizbollah, in Damascus in 2008 – though there is always the possibility of several forces being involved together. With al Mabhouh, the aim would be to remove the stain of failure dating from the failed assassination by poisoning of the Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in Amman in 1997.
Vengeance and doing what makes the spooks feel good is not a policy, however. It is hard to think of any strategic gains that Israel has acquired from its long history of assassinations. When dealing with broad-based movements such as the Palestinians, no man is irreplaceable. Indeed, the dead man is replaced in time by someone usually more ruthless, and sometimes more competent.
In 1988 Israeli commandos killed Abu Jihad, the Fatah military commander, in front of his wife in Tunis. If such a respected figure as Abu Jihad had been alive, it would surely have been easier for Israel to make a historic accommodation with the Palestinians over the past 15 years.
The tactical lesson of the impossibility of carrying out a clean murder in a five-star hotel with security cameras in every corridor has been learnt. The real question is: what strategic goal does Israel achieve by carrying out assassinations? Certainly not its proclaimed goal of peace.
aphilps@thenational.ae
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100219/OPINION/702189968/1080/foreign
Alan Philps
* Last Updated: February 19. 2010 12:29AM UAE / February 18. 2010 8:29PM GMT
It is said that the perfect spy is someone who cannot attract a waiter’s attention in a restaurant. This seems to be true of the hit team which murdered the Hamas military leader, Mahmoud al Mabhouh, in Dubai last month. The individuals revealed by the Dubai police are no Sean Connerys or Mata Haris, rather the type of people you would not remember if you bumped into them on the street.
The unforgiving camera angles of closed circuit TV footage and the dorky disguises they used only accentuate their grim ordinariness. Surely the ranks of young men and women wanting to join the world’s security services – many of them addicts of the BBC’s Spooks and similar glossy intelligence dramas – will now fall off.
The painstaking work of the Dubai police has proved one thing. The all-seeing surveillance camera has killed off the notion that a forgettable face, a wig and a moustache are enough to make a good sleuth. To the surprise and embarrassment of the Israelis, the Dubai police have been able to combine their surveillance footage with visual intelligence from different hotels, the airport and passport control, as well as cell phone information, to put together a timeline of the operation and a compelling movie, complete with cast list – an Ocean’s 11 stripped of glamour.
As the Israeli investigative journalist and expert on the Mossad, Ronen Bergman, has concluded: “This is the end of an era, the end of the assassination that leaves no trace, where you could perform such an operation with no marks. In the modern age it leaves a lot of marks, whatever way you perform it.”
Apart from that, there is much that remains murky in the operation. Reaction in Israel, initially quietly jubilant, is now tempered with unease over the political and diplomatic fallout. The standard Israeli government response to any accusation of assassination on foreign territory, the challenge of “Prove it!”, is pitifully threadbare in this case. The fact that the passports of British citizens who live in Israel were cloned to provide false papers points the finger unerringly at Mossad and makes the organisation look cavalier with the security of its own citizens.
According to security sources quoted by the BBC yesterday, the cloning of the passports was done to a very high degree of sophistication, beyond the capability of most intelligence services. This is further evidence of Israeli involvement, as Israel has a long record of faking British passports.
In the 1980s Israel promised to stop this practice after a courier taking a consignment of eight blank British passports to the Israeli embassy in Bonn – then the capital of West Germany – left them in a phone booth. The passports were picked up by the German police, and eventually traced to Israel.
The passport issue, as well as the revelation that the Israeli embassy in London was funding a Palestinian double agent who was hiding a big arms cache in the city of Hull, caused the British government to order a freeze in relations with Mossad and the expulsion of three operatives. The Mossad station in London was effectively closed down – but not for long. By 1998 there were five operatives back working in the London embassy, according to a standard history of the organisation.
The summoning of the Israeli ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, to the foreign office yesterday to explain the use of fake British passports should be seen in this light. While politics demands that the Israelis be reprimanded when they are caught out, normal co-operation between western intelligence services and Mossad tends to be restored fairly quickly. The key fact is that the Israelis are never caught cloning American documents. That would get the organisation into real trouble, whereas the wrath of European countries can be dismissed, or so it has proved in the past.
There are calls in the Israeli press for the current Mossad director general Meir Dagan to quit. But it seems unlikely he will go. He has a reputation for daring which pleases the Israeli public. He would have known that a murder in a five-star hotel would yield some embarrassing surveillance footage, but it was clearly considered a risk worth taking.
Israel wants the world to be repeatedly reminded that its arm is long. Mr Dagan is generally credited with the assassination of Imad Mughniyeh, the military commander of Hizbollah, in Damascus in 2008 – though there is always the possibility of several forces being involved together. With al Mabhouh, the aim would be to remove the stain of failure dating from the failed assassination by poisoning of the Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in Amman in 1997.
Vengeance and doing what makes the spooks feel good is not a policy, however. It is hard to think of any strategic gains that Israel has acquired from its long history of assassinations. When dealing with broad-based movements such as the Palestinians, no man is irreplaceable. Indeed, the dead man is replaced in time by someone usually more ruthless, and sometimes more competent.
In 1988 Israeli commandos killed Abu Jihad, the Fatah military commander, in front of his wife in Tunis. If such a respected figure as Abu Jihad had been alive, it would surely have been easier for Israel to make a historic accommodation with the Palestinians over the past 15 years.
The tactical lesson of the impossibility of carrying out a clean murder in a five-star hotel with security cameras in every corridor has been learnt. The real question is: what strategic goal does Israel achieve by carrying out assassinations? Certainly not its proclaimed goal of peace.
aphilps@thenational.ae
Monday, 18 January 2010
Mundo dos Sonhos - The World of Dreams II
I had to share these new works of art from the talented Edna Spennato
http://mundosonhos.files.wordpress.com/
http://mundosonhos.files.wordpress.com/
Sunday, 17 January 2010
What's wrong with Arabia?
What's wrong with Saudi Arabia?
First, this Saudi man cuts off his own penis (then goes to intensive care) because of a disagreement with his father over marriage. Perhaps he should have done something to his father rather than himself?! Or maybe it wasn't that useful anyway.
Read here:http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-man-cuts-off-genital-after-blocked-marriage-plans-1.569368
Then, Saudi Arabia cancels the Islamic Games (which have only been around since 2005) because the Iranians called it the Persian Gulf. WHO CARES?!?! Maybe if the Arabs got off their fat backsides and did something, things would improve. Or are they scared Iran will beat them in every single game? Ok, we have our differences with Iran, but pulling out of the games should be a last minute resort. I read the news daily, and I was not even aware that the games even existed, or that there was a naming disagreement. All I got was that something I didn't know about was cancelled. Whoo hoo!
Come on, you hold games between GCC States and Iran and you don't expect a naming issue?! Dumb. This should have been agreed in advance.
Read here: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/islamic-games-cancelled-over-persian-gulf-name-1.569378
(Image credit: http://www.iran2009.com/)
First, this Saudi man cuts off his own penis (then goes to intensive care) because of a disagreement with his father over marriage. Perhaps he should have done something to his father rather than himself?! Or maybe it wasn't that useful anyway.
Read here:http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-man-cuts-off-genital-after-blocked-marriage-plans-1.569368
Then, Saudi Arabia cancels the Islamic Games (which have only been around since 2005) because the Iranians called it the Persian Gulf. WHO CARES?!?! Maybe if the Arabs got off their fat backsides and did something, things would improve. Or are they scared Iran will beat them in every single game? Ok, we have our differences with Iran, but pulling out of the games should be a last minute resort. I read the news daily, and I was not even aware that the games even existed, or that there was a naming disagreement. All I got was that something I didn't know about was cancelled. Whoo hoo!
Come on, you hold games between GCC States and Iran and you don't expect a naming issue?! Dumb. This should have been agreed in advance.
Read here: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/islamic-games-cancelled-over-persian-gulf-name-1.569378
(Image credit: http://www.iran2009.com/)
Thursday, 7 January 2010
Odds of Terrorism!
Following the crazy news of an African man wanting to blow up his balls for Christmas, I found this interesting and informative poster below. Obviously bear in mind it's "targeted" at an American audience :)
Source:
www.boingboing.net
(please click on picture to view in the correct size)
Source:
www.boingboing.net
(please click on picture to view in the correct size)
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Burj Khalifa - Officially Opened - Pictures!
Dear Readers,
Finally, Burj Dubai, or Burj Khalifa has been officially opened by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai last night 4 Jan 2010. Which also marks his 4th year as Ruler of Dubai.
Here are some pics I took when I went up the Burj, and some pics from the opening night as well. Enjoy!
Pic from the opening night, with the fireworks doing their stuff!
More Fireworks from 4 Jan 2010!
This was taken from the 124th floor, or the observation deck. The highest floor is 158.
You can see how small other skyscrapers below are!
My favorite picture! The shadow of the Burj intersects SZR Junction 1, or the Defence Roundabout (old name).
A good view of the Business Bay
How small is Dubai Mall from this altitude?!
Ok, the engineer in me had to take this shot! The cleaning cradle is seen here from level 124 all the way to the supports much higher up. Cool view :)
This is a pic of the Address hotel (that I hate so much, but that's another story)
Enjoy and copy with referencing to this blog, coz these pictures are all mine.
Finally, Burj Dubai, or Burj Khalifa has been officially opened by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai last night 4 Jan 2010. Which also marks his 4th year as Ruler of Dubai.
Here are some pics I took when I went up the Burj, and some pics from the opening night as well. Enjoy!
Pic from the opening night, with the fireworks doing their stuff!
More Fireworks from 4 Jan 2010!
This was taken from the 124th floor, or the observation deck. The highest floor is 158.
You can see how small other skyscrapers below are!
My favorite picture! The shadow of the Burj intersects SZR Junction 1, or the Defence Roundabout (old name).
A good view of the Business Bay
How small is Dubai Mall from this altitude?!
Ok, the engineer in me had to take this shot! The cleaning cradle is seen here from level 124 all the way to the supports much higher up. Cool view :)
This is a pic of the Address hotel (that I hate so much, but that's another story)
Enjoy and copy with referencing to this blog, coz these pictures are all mine.
Mundo dos Sonhos - The World of Dreams
I was honoured to receive an e-mail from Edna Spennato who is the authour of:
http://mundosonhos.wordpress.com/
Edna is from Brazil, a compatriot of the great Carlos Latuff that has been mentioned earlier at several places at BuJ Al Arab. Actually Latuff coined (or used) a very strong phrase called "copyleft" which encourages people to copy his work and spread the word.
For more Latuffian info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Latuff
I first stumbled on Edna's blog when I was researching apt pictures for my post, Arrested Development:
http://bujassem.blogspot.com/2009/12/arrested-development.html
However, it seems Edna has found my blog and since we share the same views, I welcome you to visit her excellent blog using the link above. Edna is from Brazil and speaks Portuguese. Mundo dos Sonhos means World of Dreams.
Here below are some of her recent works. Enjoy.
http://mundosonhos.wordpress.com/
Edna is from Brazil, a compatriot of the great Carlos Latuff that has been mentioned earlier at several places at BuJ Al Arab. Actually Latuff coined (or used) a very strong phrase called "copyleft" which encourages people to copy his work and spread the word.
For more Latuffian info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Latuff
I first stumbled on Edna's blog when I was researching apt pictures for my post, Arrested Development:
http://bujassem.blogspot.com/2009/12/arrested-development.html
However, it seems Edna has found my blog and since we share the same views, I welcome you to visit her excellent blog using the link above. Edna is from Brazil and speaks Portuguese. Mundo dos Sonhos means World of Dreams.
Here below are some of her recent works. Enjoy.
Saturday, 2 January 2010
هل تدفع غزة ثمن التوريث؟!
This is an excellent article by Alaa Al Aswany, a smart Egyptian journalist. The article is taken from his website and is about the situation in Gaza, Egypt and Pisrael.
http://alaaalaswany.maktoobblog.com/1618365/هل-تدفع-غزة-ثمن-التوريث؟/
مقاله علاء الاسوانى (( جملة إعتراضية ))
فى جريدة الشروق
29 ديسمبر 2009
هل تدفع غزة ثمن التوريث؟!
بعد أن نشرت الخبر جريدة «هاآرتس» الإسرائيلية وأكدته الإدارة الأمريكية، اعترفت الحكومة المصرية ــ أخيرا ــ بأنها تبنى جدارا فولاذيا تحت الأرض على طول الحدود مع غزة من أجل إغلاق الأنفاق التى يستعملها الفلسطينيون لتهريب الطعام والأدوية.. فى ظل حصار خانق قامت به إسرائيل منذ أكثر من عامين واشتركت فيه مصر بإغلاق معبر رفح أمام الفلسطينيين.. ولنا هنا بعض الملاحظات: :
أولا: الهدف من حصار غزة ــ كما أعلنت إسرائيل ــ هو القضاء على المقاومة الفلسطينية وتجويع أهل غزة حتى يركعوا أمام إسرائيل ويقبلوا بشروطها للتسوية النهائية التى سوف تضيع حقوق الفلسطينيين إلى الأبد.. لكن الصمود الأسطورى للفلسطينيين دفع إسرائيل إلى ارتكاب مذبحة وحشية، استعملت فيها الأسلحة المحرمة دوليا وراح ضحيتها أكثر من ألف وأربعمائة إنسان نصفهم على الأقل من النساء والأطفال.. وبرغم المذبحة والحصار لم يستسلم الفلسطينيون وظلوا يقاومون بشجاعة مما دفع إسرائيل إلى التفكير فى طريقة لخنقهم نهائيا.. والثابت أن الجدار الفولاذى تحت الأرض فكرة إسرائيلية أساسا ترددت الحكومة المصرية فى تنفيذها ثم وافقت مؤخرا وشرعت فى إقامة الجدار الذى تم تصنيعه بتمويل وإشراف الأمريكيين.. والغرض من هذا الجدار هو قتل الفلسطينيين بمعنى الكلمة، لأنه يقضى على آخر فرصة لهم فى الحصول على الطعام.
ثانيا: إن إغلاق الحكومة المصرية لمعبر رفح ومنع قوافل الإغاثة العربية والدولية من دخول غزة ثم إقامة الجدار الفولاذى لتجويع الفلسطينيين.. كل هذه جرائم مشينة من المحزن حقا أن يرتكبها النظام المصرى ضد إخوتنا فى العروبة والإنسانية. إن التضامن العربى والواجب المصرى نحو المسلمين والمسيحيين فى فلسطين، كل هذه اعتبارات لم تعد تعنى شيئا للمسئولين المصريين وهم يسخرون منها على الملأ. لكن النظام المصرى، فى خضم حماسه لإرضاء إسرائيل، لم يلتفت إلى أنه يشوه صورته أمام العالم أجمع.. إن مذبحة غزة الأخيرة قضت على ما تبقى من سمعة إسرائيل أمام العالم. لقد تزايدت أصوات الإدانة لإسرائيل فى الدول الغربية بطريقة غير مسبوقة. فى شهر أكتوبر الماضى ذهب رئيس وزراء الإسرائيلى السابق إيهود أولمرت لإلقاء كلمة فى جامعة شيكاجو، فوجد نفسه محاصرا بهتافات عدائية من الطلبة الذين أخذوا يصيحون فى وجهه «يا سفاح غزة.. يا قاتل الأطفال»، ولقد صدرت عدة أوامر قضائية غربية بملاحقة قادة إسرائيل بتهمة ارتكاب جرائم حرب فى غزة ولبنان. حدث ذلك فى بلجيكا والنرويج وأسبانيا وأخيرا فى بريطانيا حيث كادت الشرطة البريطانية أن تقبض على تسيبى ليفنى وزيرة الخارجية الإسرائيلية السابقة لولا هروبها فى اللحظة الأخيرة. صحيح أن معظم هذه الملاحقات القانونية تم إلغاؤها بفعل الضغوط الصهيونية الجبارة على الحكومات الغربية.. لكنها تدل بوضوح على حالة عالمية من إدانة إسرائيل لم تكن موجودة قط من قبل.. إن النظام المصرى ببنائه لهذا الجدار لا يغامر فقط بشعبيته المصرية والعربية (التى هى فى الحضيض) لكنه يلطخ سمعته الدولية تماما.
ثالثا: كل الحجج التى يسوقها النظام لتبرير بناء الجدار لا يمكن أن تقنع طفلا صغيرا.. يقولون إن مصر حرة فى إقامة الجدار مادام داخل حدودها ويتجاهلون أن حرية أية دولة وفقا للعرف والمنطق والقانون الدولى ليست مطلقة لكنها مقيدة بحقوق الآخرين.. فلا يمكن أن تتسبب مصر فى تجويع مليون ونصف مليون إنسان يعيشون بجوارها ثم تزعم أنها حرة فيما تفعله. يقولون إن الأنفاق تستعمل فى تهريب أسلحة إرهابية إلى مصر. ونحن نقول إن الأسلحة قد يتم تهريبها عن طريق ليبيا أو السودان، فهل تعتزم الحكومة المصرية إقامة جدران فولاذية على طول حدودها مع دول الجوار جميعا؟ واذا كانت وزارة الداخلية المصرية، بأجهزتها الأمنية العملاقة، عاجزة عن حماية الحدود فماذا تفعل بمبلغ 8 مليارات جنيه مصرى تنفقها سنويا كميزانية من أموال الشعب المصرى..؟!
إن النظام يرفع الآن شعار «الأمن القومى المصرى خط أحمر..».. ونحن نؤمن بهذا الشعار ولا نختلف عليه لكن الأمن القومى، فى رأينا، يبدأ بتحديد من عدو مصر..؟ هل هى إسرائيل أم أهل غزة..؟ واذا كانت إسرائيل عدوتنا وهذه هى الحقيقة ألا يكون من مصلحة مصر القومية دعم المقاومة الفلسطينية..؟!…. ألم يفكر أحد لماذا اضطر الفلسطينيون إلى حفر الأنفاق تحت الأرض..؟ لقد كانت الوسيلة الوحيدة لإبقائهم على قيد الحياة.. هل كان الفلسطينيون يحفرون الأنفاق لو كانت مصر تفتح معبر رفح وتسمح بدخول الطعام والأدوية إليهم..؟ وعندما تنشئ مصر هذا الجدار لتقتل الفلسطينيين جوعا هل نلومهم إذا منعوا إقامته بالقوة أو سعوا لتدميره..؟ ألا يعد ذلك دفاعا شرعيا عن النفس..؟ يتحدث المسئولون كثيرا عن الضابط المصرى الشهيد الذى قتله رصاص أطلق من غزة، ونحن نأسف بشدة من أجل هذا الشهيد لكننا نذكر أنه لا يوجد دليل واحد على أنه قتل برصاص حركة حماس، ونذكر أيضا أن إسرائيل قتلت باعترافها العديد من الضباط والجنود المصريين على الحدود..فلماذا لم تغضب حكومتنا من أجل الأمن القومى آنذاك..؟ وأين كان هذا الأمن القومى عندما اعترف الإسرائيليون بقتل مئات الأسرى المصريين ودفنهم فى مقابر جماعية أثناء الحرب ولم يتخذ المسئولون فى مصر إجراءا واحدا ضد مجرمى الحرب الإسرائيليين..؟.يقول المسئولون فى مصر إنهم يغلقون معبر رفح خوفا من هجرة جماعية فلسطينية إلى مصر.. وهذه حجة سخيفة وساذجة فالذى دفع الفلسطينيين إلى اجتياح المعبر هو احتياجهم الشديد إلى الطعام.. وقد اشتروا بأموالهم ما يحتاجونه من التجار المصريين ثم عادوا من حيث أتوا.. ثم ماذا نتوقع من الفلسطينيين بعد ما أغلقنا بالجدار الفولاذى آخر فرصة للحياة أمامهم ؟!..هل يلومهم أحد اذا اندفعوا بالألوف واجتاحوا معبر رفح بالقوة هربا من الموت جوعا..؟ إن هذا الجدار، بالإضافة إلى كونه فعلا مشينا ووصمة عار على جبين الحكومة المصرية لن تزول أبدا، يشكل خطرا حقيقيا على الأمن القومى المصرى.
أخيرا.. ما الذى يدفع النظام المصرى إلى كل هذا الخضوع للسياسة الإسرائيلية..؟
هناك سببان لذلك.. أولا أن النظام يعتبر أى انتصار لحركة حماس دعما للإخوان المسلمين مما يهدد الحكم فى مصر.. وهذا خطأ كبير لأن انتصار المقاومة أكبر تدعيم لمصر وليس خطرا عليها أبدا.. كما أن الإخوان المسلمين، بحكم حجمهم وتأثيرهم، لا يشكلون تهديدا حقيقيا للنظام المصرى الذى يشيع ذلك دائما من أجل تبرير الاستبداد أما السبب الثانى فهو أن النظام المصرى قد تعلم أن تنفيذ رغبات إسرائيل هو الطريق المضمون إلى الرضا الأمريكى.. لقد حصلت إسرائيل من مصر فى سنوات قليلة على ما لم تحصل عليه منذ توقيع اتفاقية كامب دافيد.. الإفراج عن الجاسوس عزام عزام واتفاقيات لبيع الغاز والأسمنت وحصار الفلسطينيين وأخيرا هذا الجدار المشين.. من هنا نفهم الرضا الأمريكى على نظام مبارك.. منذ أيام صرحت السفيرة الأمريكية فى القاهرة مارجريت سكوبى قائلة: «أعتقد أن الديمقراطية فى مصر على ما يرام..» هذا التصريح الغريب يوضح لنا إلى أى مدى يسيطر اللوبى الصهيونى على السياسة الأمريكية.. ستظل أمريكا راضية عن نظام الاستبداد فى مصر مادامت إسرائيل راضية عنه.. هل يمكن بعد ذلك للسيدة سكوبى أن تتساءل لماذا يكره المصريون السياسة الأمريكية ويتهمونها بالنفاق وازدواجية المعايير..؟.
أخيرا.. إن جريمة بناء الجدار لتجويع الفلسطينيين ليست بمعزل عن قضية الإصلاح الديمقراطى فى مصر فقد وافق النظام على بناء الجدار لأنه يحتاج إلى الدعم الأمريكى لمشروع توريث الحكم من الرئيس مبارك إلى ولده جمال.. وهنا نرى نموذجا خطيرا لعواقب الحكم الاستبدادى.. إن مصلحة النظام فى مصر صارت بالفعل مناقضة لمصلحة الشعب المصرى.. لو كان نظام مبارك ديمقراطيا لما جرؤ أبدا على الاشتراك فى حصار الفلسطينيين وتجويعهم. إن الأنظمة الديمقراطية، وحدها، هى التى تتوحد مصالحها مع مصلحة الشعب والوطن.
..الديمقراطية هى الحل..
http://alaaalaswany.maktoobblog.com/1618365/هل-تدفع-غزة-ثمن-التوريث؟/
مقاله علاء الاسوانى (( جملة إعتراضية ))
فى جريدة الشروق
29 ديسمبر 2009
هل تدفع غزة ثمن التوريث؟!
بعد أن نشرت الخبر جريدة «هاآرتس» الإسرائيلية وأكدته الإدارة الأمريكية، اعترفت الحكومة المصرية ــ أخيرا ــ بأنها تبنى جدارا فولاذيا تحت الأرض على طول الحدود مع غزة من أجل إغلاق الأنفاق التى يستعملها الفلسطينيون لتهريب الطعام والأدوية.. فى ظل حصار خانق قامت به إسرائيل منذ أكثر من عامين واشتركت فيه مصر بإغلاق معبر رفح أمام الفلسطينيين.. ولنا هنا بعض الملاحظات: :
أولا: الهدف من حصار غزة ــ كما أعلنت إسرائيل ــ هو القضاء على المقاومة الفلسطينية وتجويع أهل غزة حتى يركعوا أمام إسرائيل ويقبلوا بشروطها للتسوية النهائية التى سوف تضيع حقوق الفلسطينيين إلى الأبد.. لكن الصمود الأسطورى للفلسطينيين دفع إسرائيل إلى ارتكاب مذبحة وحشية، استعملت فيها الأسلحة المحرمة دوليا وراح ضحيتها أكثر من ألف وأربعمائة إنسان نصفهم على الأقل من النساء والأطفال.. وبرغم المذبحة والحصار لم يستسلم الفلسطينيون وظلوا يقاومون بشجاعة مما دفع إسرائيل إلى التفكير فى طريقة لخنقهم نهائيا.. والثابت أن الجدار الفولاذى تحت الأرض فكرة إسرائيلية أساسا ترددت الحكومة المصرية فى تنفيذها ثم وافقت مؤخرا وشرعت فى إقامة الجدار الذى تم تصنيعه بتمويل وإشراف الأمريكيين.. والغرض من هذا الجدار هو قتل الفلسطينيين بمعنى الكلمة، لأنه يقضى على آخر فرصة لهم فى الحصول على الطعام.
ثانيا: إن إغلاق الحكومة المصرية لمعبر رفح ومنع قوافل الإغاثة العربية والدولية من دخول غزة ثم إقامة الجدار الفولاذى لتجويع الفلسطينيين.. كل هذه جرائم مشينة من المحزن حقا أن يرتكبها النظام المصرى ضد إخوتنا فى العروبة والإنسانية. إن التضامن العربى والواجب المصرى نحو المسلمين والمسيحيين فى فلسطين، كل هذه اعتبارات لم تعد تعنى شيئا للمسئولين المصريين وهم يسخرون منها على الملأ. لكن النظام المصرى، فى خضم حماسه لإرضاء إسرائيل، لم يلتفت إلى أنه يشوه صورته أمام العالم أجمع.. إن مذبحة غزة الأخيرة قضت على ما تبقى من سمعة إسرائيل أمام العالم. لقد تزايدت أصوات الإدانة لإسرائيل فى الدول الغربية بطريقة غير مسبوقة. فى شهر أكتوبر الماضى ذهب رئيس وزراء الإسرائيلى السابق إيهود أولمرت لإلقاء كلمة فى جامعة شيكاجو، فوجد نفسه محاصرا بهتافات عدائية من الطلبة الذين أخذوا يصيحون فى وجهه «يا سفاح غزة.. يا قاتل الأطفال»، ولقد صدرت عدة أوامر قضائية غربية بملاحقة قادة إسرائيل بتهمة ارتكاب جرائم حرب فى غزة ولبنان. حدث ذلك فى بلجيكا والنرويج وأسبانيا وأخيرا فى بريطانيا حيث كادت الشرطة البريطانية أن تقبض على تسيبى ليفنى وزيرة الخارجية الإسرائيلية السابقة لولا هروبها فى اللحظة الأخيرة. صحيح أن معظم هذه الملاحقات القانونية تم إلغاؤها بفعل الضغوط الصهيونية الجبارة على الحكومات الغربية.. لكنها تدل بوضوح على حالة عالمية من إدانة إسرائيل لم تكن موجودة قط من قبل.. إن النظام المصرى ببنائه لهذا الجدار لا يغامر فقط بشعبيته المصرية والعربية (التى هى فى الحضيض) لكنه يلطخ سمعته الدولية تماما.
ثالثا: كل الحجج التى يسوقها النظام لتبرير بناء الجدار لا يمكن أن تقنع طفلا صغيرا.. يقولون إن مصر حرة فى إقامة الجدار مادام داخل حدودها ويتجاهلون أن حرية أية دولة وفقا للعرف والمنطق والقانون الدولى ليست مطلقة لكنها مقيدة بحقوق الآخرين.. فلا يمكن أن تتسبب مصر فى تجويع مليون ونصف مليون إنسان يعيشون بجوارها ثم تزعم أنها حرة فيما تفعله. يقولون إن الأنفاق تستعمل فى تهريب أسلحة إرهابية إلى مصر. ونحن نقول إن الأسلحة قد يتم تهريبها عن طريق ليبيا أو السودان، فهل تعتزم الحكومة المصرية إقامة جدران فولاذية على طول حدودها مع دول الجوار جميعا؟ واذا كانت وزارة الداخلية المصرية، بأجهزتها الأمنية العملاقة، عاجزة عن حماية الحدود فماذا تفعل بمبلغ 8 مليارات جنيه مصرى تنفقها سنويا كميزانية من أموال الشعب المصرى..؟!
إن النظام يرفع الآن شعار «الأمن القومى المصرى خط أحمر..».. ونحن نؤمن بهذا الشعار ولا نختلف عليه لكن الأمن القومى، فى رأينا، يبدأ بتحديد من عدو مصر..؟ هل هى إسرائيل أم أهل غزة..؟ واذا كانت إسرائيل عدوتنا وهذه هى الحقيقة ألا يكون من مصلحة مصر القومية دعم المقاومة الفلسطينية..؟!…. ألم يفكر أحد لماذا اضطر الفلسطينيون إلى حفر الأنفاق تحت الأرض..؟ لقد كانت الوسيلة الوحيدة لإبقائهم على قيد الحياة.. هل كان الفلسطينيون يحفرون الأنفاق لو كانت مصر تفتح معبر رفح وتسمح بدخول الطعام والأدوية إليهم..؟ وعندما تنشئ مصر هذا الجدار لتقتل الفلسطينيين جوعا هل نلومهم إذا منعوا إقامته بالقوة أو سعوا لتدميره..؟ ألا يعد ذلك دفاعا شرعيا عن النفس..؟ يتحدث المسئولون كثيرا عن الضابط المصرى الشهيد الذى قتله رصاص أطلق من غزة، ونحن نأسف بشدة من أجل هذا الشهيد لكننا نذكر أنه لا يوجد دليل واحد على أنه قتل برصاص حركة حماس، ونذكر أيضا أن إسرائيل قتلت باعترافها العديد من الضباط والجنود المصريين على الحدود..فلماذا لم تغضب حكومتنا من أجل الأمن القومى آنذاك..؟ وأين كان هذا الأمن القومى عندما اعترف الإسرائيليون بقتل مئات الأسرى المصريين ودفنهم فى مقابر جماعية أثناء الحرب ولم يتخذ المسئولون فى مصر إجراءا واحدا ضد مجرمى الحرب الإسرائيليين..؟.يقول المسئولون فى مصر إنهم يغلقون معبر رفح خوفا من هجرة جماعية فلسطينية إلى مصر.. وهذه حجة سخيفة وساذجة فالذى دفع الفلسطينيين إلى اجتياح المعبر هو احتياجهم الشديد إلى الطعام.. وقد اشتروا بأموالهم ما يحتاجونه من التجار المصريين ثم عادوا من حيث أتوا.. ثم ماذا نتوقع من الفلسطينيين بعد ما أغلقنا بالجدار الفولاذى آخر فرصة للحياة أمامهم ؟!..هل يلومهم أحد اذا اندفعوا بالألوف واجتاحوا معبر رفح بالقوة هربا من الموت جوعا..؟ إن هذا الجدار، بالإضافة إلى كونه فعلا مشينا ووصمة عار على جبين الحكومة المصرية لن تزول أبدا، يشكل خطرا حقيقيا على الأمن القومى المصرى.
أخيرا.. ما الذى يدفع النظام المصرى إلى كل هذا الخضوع للسياسة الإسرائيلية..؟
هناك سببان لذلك.. أولا أن النظام يعتبر أى انتصار لحركة حماس دعما للإخوان المسلمين مما يهدد الحكم فى مصر.. وهذا خطأ كبير لأن انتصار المقاومة أكبر تدعيم لمصر وليس خطرا عليها أبدا.. كما أن الإخوان المسلمين، بحكم حجمهم وتأثيرهم، لا يشكلون تهديدا حقيقيا للنظام المصرى الذى يشيع ذلك دائما من أجل تبرير الاستبداد أما السبب الثانى فهو أن النظام المصرى قد تعلم أن تنفيذ رغبات إسرائيل هو الطريق المضمون إلى الرضا الأمريكى.. لقد حصلت إسرائيل من مصر فى سنوات قليلة على ما لم تحصل عليه منذ توقيع اتفاقية كامب دافيد.. الإفراج عن الجاسوس عزام عزام واتفاقيات لبيع الغاز والأسمنت وحصار الفلسطينيين وأخيرا هذا الجدار المشين.. من هنا نفهم الرضا الأمريكى على نظام مبارك.. منذ أيام صرحت السفيرة الأمريكية فى القاهرة مارجريت سكوبى قائلة: «أعتقد أن الديمقراطية فى مصر على ما يرام..» هذا التصريح الغريب يوضح لنا إلى أى مدى يسيطر اللوبى الصهيونى على السياسة الأمريكية.. ستظل أمريكا راضية عن نظام الاستبداد فى مصر مادامت إسرائيل راضية عنه.. هل يمكن بعد ذلك للسيدة سكوبى أن تتساءل لماذا يكره المصريون السياسة الأمريكية ويتهمونها بالنفاق وازدواجية المعايير..؟.
أخيرا.. إن جريمة بناء الجدار لتجويع الفلسطينيين ليست بمعزل عن قضية الإصلاح الديمقراطى فى مصر فقد وافق النظام على بناء الجدار لأنه يحتاج إلى الدعم الأمريكى لمشروع توريث الحكم من الرئيس مبارك إلى ولده جمال.. وهنا نرى نموذجا خطيرا لعواقب الحكم الاستبدادى.. إن مصلحة النظام فى مصر صارت بالفعل مناقضة لمصلحة الشعب المصرى.. لو كان نظام مبارك ديمقراطيا لما جرؤ أبدا على الاشتراك فى حصار الفلسطينيين وتجويعهم. إن الأنظمة الديمقراطية، وحدها، هى التى تتوحد مصالحها مع مصلحة الشعب والوطن.
..الديمقراطية هى الحل..
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