When I started this ramble through the Palestinian soul, I gave you four points, and I’ve been going on and on ad nauseum with them. Here’s the fourth and last:
The Palestinians do NOT understand democracy, except in a very superficial way.
I think that it was about 14 years ago, just after I had arrived in Israel, when there was an election in Lebanon. The Syrians were in control, and they selected the candidates – and the winners – beforehand.
When I started this ramble through the Palestinian soul, I gave you four points, and I’ve been going on and on ad nauseum with them. Here’s the fourth and last:
The Palestinians do NOT understand democracy, except in a very superficial way.
I think that it was about 14 years ago, just after I had arrived in Israel, when there was an election in Lebanon. The Syrians were in control, and they selected the candidates – and the winners – beforehand.
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Posted in Iran, Syria, Turkey, War fighting on Oct 4th, 2006
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Turkey.
I’ve even spent a lot of time IN Turkey.
There are problems in Turkey.
It is becoming less and less likely that Turkey will join the EU. The EU has demanded that Turkey recognize the Republic of Cyprus. The EU has demanded that Turkey own up to the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians. The EU has demanded that they stop press censorship.
Each and every one of those demands is absolutely reasonable, and should be ANYONE’s minimum requirement for entry into a body like the EU.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Turkey.
I’ve even spent a lot of time IN Turkey.
There are problems in Turkey.
It is becoming less and less likely that Turkey will join the EU. The EU has demanded that Turkey recognize the Republic of Cyprus. The EU has demanded that Turkey own up to the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians. The EU has demanded that they stop press censorship.
Each and every one of those demands is absolutely reasonable, and should be ANYONE’s minimum requirement for entry into a body like the EU.
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Posted in Hezbollah, Iran, Society, Syria on Aug 20th, 2006
I was just reading Marallyn’s latest entry in her blog, Shalom from Jerusalem.
Everything that she writes is a slice-of-life-and-you-are-there view of Israel, and they are great posts. But, the latest one reminded me of the difference between Israel and the rest of the Middle East.
In Israel, they air their dirty laundry. They fight and argue and complain – incessantly. They splash the dirty deeds of their politicians across the front page. They argue against the war – as well as FOR the war – while the war is being faught. Nothing is sacred.
I was just reading Marallyn’s latest entry in her blog, Shalom from Jerusalem.
Everything that she writes is a slice-of-life-and-you-are-there view of Israel, and they are great posts. But, the latest one reminded me of the difference between Israel and the rest of the Middle East.
In Israel, they air their dirty laundry. They fight and argue and complain – incessantly. They splash the dirty deeds of their politicians across the front page. They argue against the war – as well as FOR the war – while the war is being faught. Nothing is sacred.
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Posted in Hezbollah, Lebanon, Syria on Aug 16th, 2006
I find Bashar Assad’s crowing and chest beating amusing. It’s a lot like the posturing of his father after his disastrous attack on Israel in 1973.
I guess that we should consider it as yet another one of those incomprehensible (but quaint) family traditions.
Anyway… Bashar Assad, the leader of Syria, claims that there is now a new Middle East – that brave Nasrallah of the amazing Hezbollah has won a great victory.
Oh, how fabulous.
Hezbollah has lost between ten and a hundred fighters for every one soldier lost by Israel. Hezbollah command and control has been decimated. Fortifications along the border of Israel have been destroyed.
I find Bashar Assad’s crowing and chest beating amusing. It’s a lot like the posturing of his father after his disastrous attack on Israel in 1973.
I guess that we should consider it as yet another one of those incomprehensible (but quaint) family traditions.
Anyway… Bashar Assad, the leader of Syria, claims that there is now a new Middle East – that brave Nasrallah of the amazing Hezbollah has won a great victory.
Oh, how fabulous.
Hezbollah has lost between ten and a hundred fighters for every one soldier lost by Israel. Hezbollah command and control has been decimated. Fortifications along the border of Israel have been destroyed.
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