When the Muslim Brotherhood leadership looks around them they see an America in decline – both at home and abroad. They see how the US abandoned Mubarak. They see how America speaks of human rights in Egypt and Tunisia, but don’t apply these principles in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Saudi Arabia
The Middle East is on the move
The Middle East is on the move.
The Old Syrians are on the way down, and the new Syrians, whoever they may be, are on their way up.
The old Libyans are digging in, and the New Libyans are trying to flush them out.
The Americans are on the way out of Iraq, and the Iranians are on their way in.
The Iranians are also on their way into Syria, Bahrain, Lebanon and Gaza.
Christians are on their way out of Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Gaza.
The Iranians sent Lebanese to Moscow to meet with the Russians, and Mexicans to kill Saudis in America.
Turkey is on its way back in to the Ottoman Empire’s stomping grounds, and the Kurds from Northern Iraq are heading into Turkey, and Turkey is chasing them back into Northern Iraq.
Egypt is moving sideways, and so are Tunisia and Jordan.
An Israeli soldier went from Gaza to the Sinai and finally to his home in the Galilee. One thousand Palestinian terrorists left Israel and went to the West Bank, Gaza, Qatar, Syria and Turkey.
Saudi Arabia takes one step forward [letting women vote hey, it is 2011 after all] and two steps back [not letting them drive, as well as the odd beheading]
Yemen is the only place not going anywhere.
Bibi wants an Obama speech
Some thoughts on the situation:
Bibi’s upcoming speech at Bar Ilan: Obama gave a big speech that almost everyone in the world loved. Obama’s Cairo University speech was seen live by hundreds of millions of people. How many people will watch Bibi live? Bibi is to deliver his speech at Bar Ilan University’s BESA Center in Ramat Gan. Bar Ilan University is the bastion of the center right, and Bibi should find an adoring audience there, just as Obama found in Cairo. Bibi will be tailoring his message to the Likud, Bar Ilan is closely associated with the Likud, with the moderate National Religious and secular Right. He wants to be interrupted by applause – when he says Israel wants peace with the Palestinians, but a peace that will not jeopardize Israeli security. He doesn’t want to be interrupted by catcalls from the Knesset plenum. In Bibi’s mind, if anyone can match Obama for rhetorical prowess, for delivery, it’s Bibi. All that’s necessary is a solid stage, a sturdy podium, good air conditioning [that he doesn't sweat], and a receptive audience [definitely not the Knesset]. In 2002 Netanyahu gave a speech to the Likud half of which was devoted to the issue of a Palestinian state. You can read it here. It will be interesting to compare that speech with what Bibi says next Sunday. Continue reading
Saudis want to boycott Nissan over Israeli ad
Love this story by my favorite intern Stephanie Rubinstein:
Gulf states may boycott the Nissan Motor Company as a result of an Israeli TV commercial that depicts Saudis angered by a fuel-efficient car, a Saudi official has said.
The new campaign by Renault-Nissan caused an uproar in the Gulf when it showed a group of Saudi oil barons screaming and attacking the Renault-Nissan vehicle.
The Saudis are shown leaving a hotel and encountering the new, fuel-efficient vehicle. One man pounds his fists on the car and is then held back by his companions as he shouts at it, “Hawks should peck at you day and night.”
At the end of the commercial, the voice-over says, “It’s clear the oil companies won’t like you.”
