So, I thought about a list of things that you should not discuss with an Arab person. I present 15 subjects you are not advised to discuss without serious drama or incident. Let’s keep this post more civil than the last list. Those on the list are either subjects that are too complicated to have an “elevator pitch” version. Every people have a closet full of subjects they would rather not address. You can always talk about sports, make fun of Canada and the latest and fret about Burger King commercial. P.S. If you are one who likes to over-intellectualize arguments…skip this list.
1. Any Arab Internal Strife
Internal Strife that is an issue that people would rather not address, in any culture, we forget the liability, we look for the assets. Here, we have the White/Black divide or something politically incorrect. Yemen, Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia and others got them. Did they win a fair democratic election or did they not? Who sucks more? Vs. who insists on sucking? Who has a claim to a land, a region, a place of worship? Many hot issues that many Arabs and supporters of their cause would rather not address especially when Israeli settlers are uprooting olive trees in the West Bank and when American occupation is still in full swing. The joke goes , life is three days; one day for party A; another for party 2; and the third day is judgment day.
2. Anwar Sadat
The Jury is still out on Anwar, Arabs not sure what to make of him, was the genius and visionary leader the West celebrate? Or was he an agent of the Western powers? Did he do well with his peace treaty with Israel, or did he just sell out and put the Palestinians under the bus? Some might say he actually would have gotten more land for the Palestinians than they can ever take from any Israeli government. So you know he is both a war hero and a peace champion, but is he a collaborator? Go ahead and try to talk about Sadat, but make sure you know your facts straight and you have no urgent appointments in the next 48 hours.
3. Haifa Wahbe’s Moral Standing
Well, is she a Sharmoota or just a single mom that makes cute, funky music with occasional flaps? Yes, most Arab men make fun of her and the way she performs on the stage, but nobody has said I do not like it. Is she active in her Shi’a community and is she the true fan of Nasrallah she makes herself to be, or is she that one that appears in billboards with suggestive pictures and pauses. Yes, some will say what she does is entrainment, others will label her as slut—maybe they are jealous of her dazzling looks and her positive attitude. Others will say she used to work as a prostitute part of a ring that was busted few years in Beirut.
4. The Prices of Oil
Almost all Arabs pay for their oil; they do not get it for free as some might think. Some Arab countries oil costs more than what one pays here in the States. When Jack comes and whines about the prices of oil to an Arab, this is being insensitive. Jack is probably is confused by the fact that many Arabs in the States like to own gas stations. It counts as an accusation like “Ahmad, you are so greedy!” you can say we have thin skin about this subject, but c’mon none of us has an Arab discount card, the Saudis are probably laughing at both of us—laughing all the way to the bank. This is perhaps the main reason most Arabs hate the Gulf States, that and their gigantic private parts.
5. Palestine
It’s a sensitive topic, so be careful what you walk into. It’s not an Arab gathering until the question of Palestine comes up, I am pretty certain that opinion on Palestine is prerequisite for being Arab intellectual. Ask yourself, when was it last time you spoke to an Arab about Palestine only to find them indifferent? Hell, even the sleaziest kids from the Gulf have managed to form an opinion. And that’s exactly why you won’t avoid the subject; we are just grown tired of hearing you say, “I never thought about it this way!” Yes, being a full-time Arab can be demanding, so if you have a question about it, here is an idea…Google it, also you may remember an ancient tradition to gain knowledge, public libraries. The moment Glen Beck stops saying stupid stuff, Arabs might be willing to change their mind on Palestine.
6. That Award Winning Holocaust Movies
Arabs sympathize with the victims of the Holocaust; we feel cheated because the Jewish tragedy seems to get extra attention at the expense of Palestinian suffering—not comparing here. Sure the Arabs might have brought on some of their own problems, but I’ve also heard of Jews who were gatekeepers for the Nazis. Palestinians just want to be treated fairly. The majority of Arabs do not deny the Holocaust; they see it morally wrong. Movies about the Holocaust are made as often as Nancy Ajram makes a delightful music video. It’s a sucker move on the studio’s part to win some nods, but Arabs do not see the needs of paying 10 bucks to see what they can watch on Aljazeera for free. Last year there were at least five Holocaust themed movies, if that’s not a commercial exploitation of a human tragedy, I do not know what else is. That is an OD on destruction of life. The only two American movies were being shown in Egypt this summer were “Inglorious Bastards” and “Defiance”—strangely the two movies deal with the Holocaust
7. Dangers of the Hookah
Yeah, yeah, we also read the study that says Hookah is more dangerous to the lungs, hookah gives you this, hookah gives you that…blah, blah, and blah. Yes, the tobacco used is toxic, and water is polluted, the coal makes it worse, but really you think that will stop hookah enthusiastic from enjoying its spark. Save yourself the kill buzz mode and stop raining in the Middle Eastern man’s parade and if you do not like sucking a hookah, stop sucking by believing everything you hear. As someone who does not smoke it, I like the company of hookah smokers because it makes me feel dangerous. (BTW, where does it say you have to have a goatee to be qualified to smoke hookah?
9. Crying Over Darfur and only Darfur
The Crying over Darfur is a tragedy, but I think the West would get a lot more Arab support against it if the West acknowledged the another Darfur of the Arab world: Palestine. Maybe because most of us lived under deceptive dictatorships, we Arabs have a talent in detecting double standards. Many of Arabs here raise money for Darfur and others volunteer there. Yes, it’s a crisis, it’s horrible what these bloody crazy tribesmen are doing to innocent civilians in Darfur, killing, torture and rape has not place in modern day of age. When I see synagogues sport banners supporting Israeli wars on the civilians’ of Gaza and Lebanon next to a banner calling to save Darfur, I cannot help by want to cry.
10. The Superiority of the Arabic Language
You know some Arabs will let you know right to your face, you can never speak Arabic as well as he/she can. You spend five years of nothing but learning Arabic and then this Iraqi kid comes and tell you, “Oh, you speak Arabic, I bet you cannot understand me” and then he talks to his buddies and gives you a look that he is watching you watching him. Learning Arabic is great, not so much trying to convince Ahmad that your Arabic is really good. Like Ahmad ran out of things to be proud of, and now he is left with pride in his mother tongue that helped give the Spaniards the world “pillow”, I do not know if I will take pride in teaching someone the Arabic word for “pillow”, a device people use when they are lazy.
10. Salma Hayek Cleavage
Speaking of Arab influence on the Spaniards, here is a golden one, Salma Hayek, yes she is Mexican, and on hot scale of one to 10, she is a million. Yes, she shows too much skin and boobage, but with all due respect, you hate it when Arabs cover up, you cannot also hate it when Arab reveal too much, pick a side. You do not speak ill of her, she is one of us and whatever movies she makes, we will watch. She’s recently went to Egypt to take part of a film festival, Sandy, a Tunisian actress criticized Salma for her modest dress compared to the Tunisian actress’ own dress. Here is an idea to get Arabs and Latinos to watch movies about the Holocaust, put her on one.
11. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Sorry world, we are also embarrassed by this country and its practices against individuals of different creed and beliefs, hell most Muslims got nothing nice to say about this very rich yet sealed country . Maybe that’s why God gave them so much money, because otherwise, no one would want anything from them. Dismal human rights record, religious moral police engaging in shameful acts and putting a showcase of abuses to Saudi’s own citizens (thanks to YouTube) Saudi Arabia deserves our silence, they bought it with their petro dollars. Saudi Arabia contribution to ruining the image of Muslims is only matched by to the contributions of Tweeter to ruining the English language.
12. Talk about Sex, not Impotency
Why? Arab have a lot more kids than almost anybody on the plant, there is no need to talk about sex in public, it’s a private matter. Judging from Egyptian films, it seems that Egyptians and Arab men are obsessed with the drug Viagra to help them rise to the occasion. In the same token there have been a number of films that deal with women sexuality, when it comes to sex, it turn out that Arabs are doers and not just talkers. It’s impotency that Arabs do not like to bring up, that’s the seven hundred pound gorilla in the room.
13. Superstitious!
Arabs perhaps are the most superstitious people you will know, they like to brag about things, until they feel there is jealousy or envy involved “the eye” then they start taking down. “I have a great job”, becomes “I hate it my work”, “my kids are good looking” turns into, “I hate their face” and so on to deflect jealousy. Jinx might as well be an Arab word. So if got a nice car, a sweet dig, make sure to trash it so people do not envy you. I have forgotten about this jealously and envy (حسد ) thing until I went back home this summer, only to be reminded of it every time something goes wrong. A car breaks, an accident, someone goes off, a dish breaks, a photo film goes bad, someone get sick, you fail an exam and many more things goes bad–there is always an explanation that only make sense to your mother and her mother.
14. Ralph Nader for President
We love him, he can pretty much do what he likes to, we cannot speak ill of the running man.
15. Gay Arab Men
What gay Arab men? Exactly!
Bonus
16. Men Facial Hair
[Tarboush Tip: Will, Sterling]
Related posts:
- 17 Things Arab Men Like to Bring Up
- 13 Arab Men You Should Never Date
- 23 Items Every Arab Immigrant Brought in Their Luggage
- FuNkY Arab?
- 18 Arab Leaders You Would Want with You in a Bar Fight
Arab is a race, not a viewpoint. I have, at one time or another, had discussions with Arabs about several of these subjects…people should be treated as the individuals they are.
Posted by C.H. | December 13, 2009, 4:59 amYou are missing the whole point, this is a jokes website.
If you didn't get that at least by the name of the site…. I'd say that judging by your individual characteristics, you are very dumb.
Posted by Martine | December 16, 2009, 12:47 am"Many hot issues that many Arabs and supporters of their cause would rather not address especially when Israeli settlers are uprooting olive trees in the West Bank and when American occupation is still in full swing"
Maybe you should make time to condemn mosques sieges, like the one that killed 45 people (half of them children) in a Pakistani mosque last week. The OIC has called for "global intervention" over the burning of a mosque in the West Bank…yet they have very little if anything to say about the dozens of mosques that have been obliterated by suicide bombers across Pakistan and Iraq.
No trees were uprooted in Mogadishu last week, but a holy warrior took out 3 government ministers and an entire class of doctors at a graduation ceremony. Surely, the destruction of human life is as important as the destruction of olive trees.
And if you are so upset about "American Occupation", maybe you will explain why civilians in Iraq are still being slaughtered by the "resistance" as the US tries to pull out. You'd think they would at least scale back their martyrdom ops, yet they carried out the deadliest attacks on civilians in 2 years only last week., as well as in October…almost a year after President Bush left office and many months since US troops withdrew to their bases.
Posted by C.H. | December 13, 2009, 5:22 amYou're such a clown.
"Arab is a race, not a viewpoint. I have, at one time or another, had discussions with Arabs about several of these subjects…people should be treated as the individuals they are."
- Not only is this statement self contradictory, but also false. Arabs are not a race.
That being said, the post was specifically about Arabs and if you'd bothered to read the first point Hanitizer made, then maybe you might have picked up on that.
Now, as I've mentioned earlier you're a clown; either get your shit straight like the rest of the white people who read this blog for a humorous contemporary insight from a perspective we rarely see in our media or shut the fuck up.
We all appreciate your campaign to improve the lives of all the people of this planet, I do not lambaste your efforts to end the human rights abuses, senseless acts of violence and perpetrations against innocent civilians by overtly aggressive governments. HOWEVER your comment goes completely against everything your supposedly stand for and are the pinnacle of double standards.
Just because this gentlemen -who may or may not be a Muslim- fails to mention your ready roaster of aggressions falsely perpetrated under the name of an otherwise peaceful religion, does not imply that he does not condemn them.
Pack up your shit and go home son, keep your mouth shut until you've got the sense to relevant incidents together.
Posted by Monica B | December 13, 2009, 6:03 am"Not only is this statement self contradictory, but also false. Arabs are not a race. "
So crucify me. I suppose ethnicity would have been the better word to use.
"Just because this gentlemen -who may or may not be a Muslim- fails to mention your ready roaster of aggressions falsely perpetrated under the name of an otherwise peaceful religion, does not imply that he does not condemn them."
I never suggested he was Muslim, not that it even matters. I live in the Bay Area and just got back from South Asia. I can tell you with absolute certainty that many Muslims in India and Pakistan are more pro-American than the far-left here in my country, many of whom perpetuate the "blame America" card when suicide bombers slaughter innocents.
"
Posted by C.H. | December 13, 2009, 6:20 amYou're right Corey, it doesn't matter whether he was or he wasn't, but you certainly implied something when the incidents you listed were all carried out by supposed Muslims.
Your trip to South Asia is irrelevant because again, this post is about Arabs, not Muslims.
Posted by Monica B | December 13, 2009, 6:28 amCorrect Monica, but you did mention Muslims (as did I)…so it makes sense to talk about my trip to South Asia to back up my statement.
I listed those incidents because Hannitizer said that Arabs and their supporters (at least the ones he/she knows) would "prefer not to address" them because settlers are uprooting olive trees. While such an act should be rightfully condemned, I believe that Mujahideen bombers incinerating hundreds upon hundreds of people in Muslim countries should be seen as a more serious problem.
Posted by C.H. | December 13, 2009, 6:34 am"Correct Monica, but you did mention Muslims (as did I)…so it makes sense to talk about my trip to South Asia to back up my statement."
-I mentioned Muslims because you implied Muslim, you rolled the ball not me.
Back up what statement? That you're a great worldly traveller that will enlighten us all with that you met a couple of Muslims who you were astonished weren't out to blame America?
WOW WHODDA THOUGHT!
"I listed those incidents because Hannitizer said that Arabs and their supporters (at least the ones he/she knows) would "prefer not to address" them because settlers are uprooting olive trees."
-Uprooting olive trees was a geographical reference to a problem I presume to him would be "much closer to home", he did not mention anything to do with Islam or Muslims.
It's an oxymoronic reference to the fact that that they have equally severe problems of their own, as Arabs.
There is a lot of stuff that should be rightfully condemned, you're trying to make this a post about condemning acts perpetrated by supposed Muslims, whom again, this article is not about.
You'll have to excuse my curt language, its just that the context of your initial post and subsequent dialogue suggests some views deeply steeped in scepticism of not just the Arab culture, but the Muslim religion.
And although I'm sure you mean well, you should be more cautious with such sweeping generalizations.
Posted by Monica B | December 13, 2009, 6:52 am"he did not mention anything to do with Islam or Muslims. "
Yes, but he did talk about the problems that are plaguing the Arab world, many of which involve Islam one way or another (Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Algeria, Somalia, Syria, and Lebanon being just a few).
"suggests some views deeply steeped in scepticism of not just the Arab culture, but the Muslim religion."
Oh come on, Monica…can it really mean that I am "skeptical of Arab culture" and the religion of Islam because I point out that many incidents that have polarized, traumatized, and ravaged the Arab world involve people who use Islam to justify their violence? Like me, I'm sure you have seen the gruesome messages released by "The Islamic State of Iraq", where they claim their mass murder of Iraqi civilians as a divine victory.
Posted by C.H. | December 13, 2009, 7:16 am//I'm sure you have seen the gruesome messages released by "The Islamic State of Iraq", where they claim their mass murder of Iraqi civilians as a divine victory.//
We here, all of us at Kabobfest, abhor and are disgusted by the deliberate targeting of civilians; and on top of that, claiming it to be a victory of some sorts!
If you do a bit of research on guerrilla warfare, you will learn that support of the civilian population is a crucial factor in the success of both aggressor and the freedom-fighter. It is a universal fact. Be that in the Sepoy Rebellion of British India, Afghan Mujaheddin war with the Soviets, America and the Viet-Cong, etc.. In all these guerrilla warfare, the success or defeat of each of these guerrilla warriors was due to the crucial civilian support they either enjoyed or lacked.
It would be worthwhile to understand the mentality of the Iraqi Resistance and the American Imperialists who are much more smarter then you or I. Both are struggling to hold on to crucial civilian support to further their cause.
The Resistance has the crucial ties of brotherhood with their fellow Iraqis, and who would rather help their blood brother, rather then the Americans.
The Americans are able to utilize their assets in the mainstream media like CNN, BBC, Fox, VOA, etc.. to project their version of the story to not only the Iraqi population but the whole World.
You must also respect the fact that the Iraqi Resistance are not led by some barbarian cavemen from the prehistoric but by the intellectual middle-class. Messages like "mass murder is divine victory" doesn't help the cause of the Resistance but furthers the disenchantment of the population to the Resistance. The only obvious beneficiary of incidents like these is the American Occupation Force.
You might want to read this…
http://www.theinsider.org/news/article.asp?id=155…
Posted by OooKhalid | December 13, 2009, 1:28 pm"We here, all of us at Kabobfest, abhor and are disgusted by the deliberate targeting of civilians; and on top of that, claiming it to be a victory of some sorts! "
I just read that. Shukren Khalid!
But then I read this: "The only obvious beneficiary of incidents like these is the American Occupation Force."
How does the mass murder of innocent Iraqis benefit the Americans? Do these attacks not benefit the "resistance" that is trying to overthrow Maliki's government?
Posted by Iraqi Mojo | December 13, 2009, 9:56 pmThe attacks clearly benefit America only when you step outside the Universe of Reality–I've come to realize that much of the commentary here on this blog is well outside of it. America is trying to leave Iraq, and US soldiers have died trying to stop suicide bombers from killing civilians.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/…
A member of the Baghdad provincial council visiting the site said: “This is a campaign of losers. They see the progress the Government is making and they try to show people that there is still no security. They are creating obstacles for the coming elections. These are criminals with blood on their hands.” The elections are to be held on March 7. The attacks overwhelmed Baghdad’s security forces, prompting them to call American troops for help. They have handled previous attacks almost entirely on their own but yesterday groups of US soldiers not only helped the Iraqis with forensic work but also cordoned off sections of the city and diverted traffic.
Under an agreement between Baghdad and Washington, Iraqi security forces took over responsibility for urban areas in the summer.
The member of the Baghdad provincial council said: “The Americans are friends and, in difficult situations, they come to help us.”
Posted by C.H. | December 13, 2009, 10:29 pm"America is trying to leave Iraq"
America has been trying to leave Iraq since they captured Saddam.
'American troops did not expect to play a role in stabilizing Iraq after overthrowing Saddam Hussein, a key adviser to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Monday.
David Manning, who served as a Blair's top foreign policy aide before being appointed ambassador to Washington in 2003, told a British inquiry into the Iraq war the American military did not believe peacekeeping was their responsibility.
"The American military thought that they were fighting a war and when the war was over they were expecting to go home," he said.'
http://iraqimojo.blogspot.com/2009/11/resistance-…
and:
'Meeting slides prepared by Central Command for a White House briefing in 2002 show CentCom's projection that "the U.S. would have only 5,000 troops left in Iraq as of December 2006," Joyce Battle and Thomas Blanton write for the National Security Archive.'
http://iraqimojo.blogspot.com/2007/02/no-violence…
Any Arabs here know what CENTCOM is? Any Arabs know where CENTCOM is? Do ANY of you KABOBers know the US military launched two wars on Iraq from Qatar? Anybody wonder why that "honorable" Arab "resistance" has not attacked a single market in Doha, where there are several Starbucks and many Arabs who collaborate with Americans in many ways? Is the Arab resistance that retarded? Or is it ok to mass murder Iraqis and not ok to mass murder khaleeji 3arab jarab?
Posted by Iraqi Mojo | December 14, 2009, 12:36 amif attacks like this don't benefit the Americans, why does the US Army's own counterinsurgency manual recommend them? Why have the British and French used similar tactics during their colonial wars? So long as there is violence in Iraq, the US has an excuse to be there. This is the "bloodbath theory" that the British employed to justify their continued occupation of Northern Ireland: if we pull out, these savages will kill each other. We have to stay to keep the peace, Meanwhile, the occupation force is the primary instigator and beneficiary of the violence. If the violence stops, what excuse do the Americans have for being there?
Posted by Sean2009 | December 14, 2009, 1:25 amDo you know there are no more British troops in Iraq? Do you know that American troops have withdrawn from Iraqi cities?
And why would the US want to prolong the occupation of Iraq, to have an excuse to be there as you say, while the occupation is costing the US billions of dollars every month and not benefiting the US economy?
You're telling me America is mass murdering Iraqis in order to have an excuse to stay there, in order to keep the peace? Are you for real??
Posted by Iraqi Mojo | December 14, 2009, 1:31 amWhether there are currently British troops or not is irrelevant to my point. They were certainly there when the SAS were caught red-handed trying to engage in a false flag terrorist attack, and they have used this kind of tactic elsewhere, particularly in Northern Ireland and Kenya. The US counterinsurgency manual advocates similar tactics. You still have not provided an explanation for the British SAS agents who were caught and what they were doing, why they attacked and killed an Iraqi policeman, or why the British attacked an Iraqi police bases to free them. This is a smoking gun that demands an explanation.
The US is not in Iraq to benefit the US economy, any more than our government gives away trillions of dollars to banksters to benefit our economy. We are there to benefit our elites, and Israel. The goal of the US occupation in Iraq is turn Iraq into a fractured, failed state that will not be able to threaten Israel, and to provide a launching platform for an invasion of Iran, where we intend to do the same. I do believe the US government is capable of staging false flag terrorists attacks to instigate a civil war in Iraq and discredit the Iraqi resistance. The US government even planned fake terror attacks against its own citizens to justify a war against Cuba. The plan was codenamed Operation Northwoods.
http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/northwo…
Posted by Sean2009 | December 14, 2009, 2:36 amSean,
Take off your tinfoil hat and think for a second. Do you have any links that don't promote 9/11 conspiracy theories? I prefer to read things that are rooted in the Universe of Reality…I know that's a lot to ask from you.
"I do believe the US government is capable of staging false flag terrorists attacks to instigate a civil war in Iraq and discredit the Iraqi resistance. The US government even planned fake terror attacks against its own citizens to justify a war against Cuba. The plan was codenamed Operation Northwoods."
Okay, if you live in the United States and *really* believe that your own government is plotting these things then you have an obligation to either renounce your citizenship and leave immediately OR stage an armed revolt. But you don't do either of these things, because you know that this stuff is all nonsense and you're just looking for an excuse to justify your hatred of America.
Posted by C.H. | December 14, 2009, 3:06 amFrom the National Security Archive:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20010430/
n his new exposé of the National Security Agency entitled Body of Secrets, author James Bamford highlights a set of proposals on Cuba by the Joint Chiefs of Staff codenamed OPERATION NORTHWOODS. This document, titled “Justification for U.S. Military Intervention in Cuba” was provided by the JCS to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara on March 13, 1962, as the key component of Northwoods. Written in response to a request from the Chief of the Cuba Project, Col. Edward Lansdale, the Top Secret memorandum describes U.S. plans to covertly engineer various pretexts that would justify a U.S. invasion of Cuba. These proposals – part of a secret anti-Castro program known as Operation Mongoose – included staging the assassinations of Cubans living in the United States, developing a fake “Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington,” including “sink[ing] a boatload of Cuban refugees (real or simulated),” faking a Cuban airforce attack on a civilian jetliner, and concocting a “Remember the Maine” incident by blowing up a U.S. ship in Cuban waters and then blaming the incident on Cuban sabotage. Bamford himself writes that Operation Northwoods “may be the most corrupt plan ever created by the U.S. government.”
The article provides a link to the actual documents. Good enough source for you?
Posted by Sean2009 | December 14, 2009, 3:17 amFrom the National Security Archive:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20010430/
n his new exposé of the National Security Agency entitled Body of Secrets, author James Bamford highlights a set of proposals on Cuba by the Joint Chiefs of Staff codenamed OPERATION NORTHWOODS. This document, titled “Justification for U.S. Military Intervention in Cuba” was provided by the JCS to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara on March 13, 1962, as the key component of Northwoods. Written in response to a request from the Chief of the Cuba Project, Col. Edward Lansdale, the Top Secret memorandum describes U.S. plans to covertly engineer various pretexts that would justify a U.S. invasion of Cuba. These proposals – part of a secret anti-Castro program known as Operation Mongoose – included staging the assassinations of Cubans living in the United States, developing a fake “Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington,” including “sink[ing] a boatload of Cuban refugees (real or simulated),” faking a Cuban airforce attack on a civilian jetliner, and concocting a “Remember the Maine” incident by blowing up a U.S. ship in Cuban waters and then blaming the incident on Cuban sabotage. Bamford himself writes that Operation Northwoods “may be the most corrupt plan ever created by the U.S. government.”
The article provides a link to the actual documents. Good enough source for you?
Posted by Sean2009 | December 14, 2009, 3:17 am"Whether there are currently British troops or not is irrelevant to my point. "
It is actually quite relevant to your point if you want us to blame the recent bombings on the UK. Ahh but you want us to blame the US, which employs those same counterinsurgency tactics that the British used in colonial times, right?
Wow so we are supposed to suspend logic and believe that the US *wants* to stay in Iraq, despite the huge cost, in order to protect Israel. LOL! I don't doubt that Israel was happy to see the end of Saddam's regime, but so were the Shia and Kurds, and the Sunni 3arab jarab certainly were NOT happy about the end of Saddam's regime, and they were certainly PISSED when he was hanged for crimes against humanity. The Arabs continue to murder innocent Iraqis in order to defeat the US, and after all that's happened, it really isn't shocking anymore. And considering that leftists from California to South Africa to Australia have been willing to embrace any theory that puts America in a bad light, it's also not surprising to see non-Arabs so willing to grasp at illogical theories.
There's no denying that Americans committed some horrible crimes in Iraq, sadly. But to assert that America is causing these mass casualty bombings makes no sense to me. These bombings hurt the Iraqi govt the most because they are elected by the Iraqi people, and the Iraqi people are pissed off at the Iraqi govt for being unable to protect the people. But I can see why your theory would make sense to the non-Iraqi Arabs, who want so badly to believe that Arabs are not really killing innocent Iraqis.
Furthermore, it seems that most Americans are sick of Iraq and want all troops to come home as soon as possible. US officials have said the US military in Iraq is on schedule to leave by the end of 2011.
' "The United States will continue to support the Iraqi people as they face down violent extremism and work to build a more peaceful and democratic nation," she said.
But Barack Obama, the US president, in his speech announcing a 30,000 troop increase to Afghanistan last week, pledged that US forces would meet the deadline to withdraw US combat troops by August next year and completely pull out by the end of 2011.'
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009…
Posted by Iraqi_Mojo | December 14, 2009, 3:10 am"Yes, but he did talk about the problems that are plaguing the Arab world, many of which involve Islam one way or another (Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Algeria, Somalia, Syria, and Lebanon being just a few)."
-Really where? You mean Palestine? Or did you mean Anwar Sadat, or are you just the next International Development clown who equates the Arab culture and Islam? Surely Salma Hayek's cleavage is worth putting an abayya on and keeping locked up at home.
Your worldly-self stated previously that you'd been to South Asia, a region of well over a billion people with significant non-Muslim populations and not a single Arab, I still don't understand the relevance.
Again, the fact that you found Muslims who do not support violence astound you? If anything I'd take it that you're hinting that violent Muslims are the norm and that one must look in Arabia to see how terrible this religion is, because after all, all their problems are because of this dastardly faith.
"Oh come on, Monica…can it really mean that I am "skeptical of Arab culture" and the religion of Islam because I point out that many incidents that have polarized, traumatized, and ravaged the Arab world involve people who use Islam to justify their violence".
- Exactly my point, had you used distinctively Arab issues and maybe said "Hey Hanitizer, what about the following topics that also plague the Arab world" and then listed a number of issues that plague distinctivly the Arab world, regardless of whether they were perputrated by supposed Muslims or not then maybe wouldn't have had this discussion.
Instead, you choose to make this post about Islam by listing a number issues, all of which were carried out under the banner of this faith and only one of them bearing any resemblance to an Arab issue.
Moreso, no one has claimed responisibiliy for the attack in Mogadishu, and the Mosque blasts were certainly "condemned" by everyone, Al-Qaeda included.
Why did you say "holy warrior" when no one has claimed responsibility? I'm sure that term could have been used to imply that the perpetrator was not an adherant of a particular faith, but lets not kid ourselves here.
It disgusts me that you would make light of the burning of the mosque in the West Bank, the issue here isn't the fact that it was just that the Mosque was burned, but that where is the action against these settlers? Where is the oh-righteous IDF out to bomb the shit out of these "Israeli Extremists" who honestly, following the same silly handbook should be called Jewish Extremists, or terrorists depending on they feel in the morning?
Oh wait thats right, there is no one, because ironically enough, the Palestinian Authority has no authority after all. The Palestinians nothing but their big swinging dicks to defend themselves with and the IDF sure as shit hasn't done anything about aggressions by settlers in the past.
Posted by MonicaB_ | December 13, 2009, 4:17 pm"Moreso, no one has claimed responisibiliy for the attack in Mogadishu"
No one claimed responsibility for the mosque burning in the West Bank the other day either, yet it is blatantly obvious who is responsible. Therefore, when a suicide bomber blows himself up in Mogadishu you can almost bet your life on it that it was a Wahhabi fundamentalist nutjob who perpetrated the attack. To say suggest otherwise is stupid. Islamic fundamentalists brought suicide bombing to Somalia and they are the ones continuing it.
I suppose you'd like me to agree with you and suggest that we should view hardcore Presbyterians and Hasidic Jews with equal suspicion as Muslim extremists in the Mogadishu carnage, but I prefer to remain in the Universe of reality.
"the Mosque blasts were certainly "condemned" by everyone, Al-Qaeda included."
Actually, the Al-Qaeda linked Tehreek-e-Talibani proudly claimed responsibility for the mosque siege in Rawalpindi.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-…
Posted by C.H. | December 13, 2009, 7:12 pm"No one claimed responsibility for the mosque burning in the West Bank the other day either, yet it is blatantly obvious who is responsible."
- They spray painted a delcleration, and left a name son. If that isn't claim of responsibility then I don't know what is.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middl…
"I suppose you'd like me to agree with you and suggest that we should view hardcore Presbyterians and Hasidic Jews with equal suspicion as Muslim extremists in the Mogadishu carnage, but I prefer to remain in the Universe of reality."
You've missed my point entirely.
That entire paragraph is there to counter your continued use of a language that implies that the problem is with the religion of Islam and not the people supposedly behind these actions, it's about your use of terms like "islamic fundamentalists" as to imply that islam is fundamentally a violent reglion, "muslim extremists".
I'm saying that you shouldn't jump the gun that they were "Muslim extremists" in the first place; there is nothing wrong with suggesting a possible link to previous attacks, but it is fundamentally wrong to make such ascertive statements when you have nothing but your skepticism of not just the faith, but all of its followers.
"Actually, the Al-Qaeda linked Tehreek-e-Talibani proudly claimed responsibility for the mosque siege in Rawalpindi."
- Said so yourself, those clowns are "linked" to Al-Qaeda, they are neither Al-Qaeda nor am I here to represent or defend either of them.
Posted by MonicaB_ | December 13, 2009, 9:45 pmOr South Asians.
Especially South Asians getting with Arabs. Shit. Don't ever go there.
Posted by SanaKF | December 13, 2009, 9:56 amI don't know a single Arab living in the Arab world who fundraises for Darfur. Maybe it's just the Lebanese who are indifferent, but I doubt it. And that's the glaring double standard, in my opinion.
Posted by Habib Albi | December 13, 2009, 12:40 pm"If anything I'd take it that you're hinting that violent Muslims are the norm and that one must look in Arabia to see how terrible this religion is"
The acts of a few can ruin the lives of millions…look at Iraq. Iraqi culture overwhelming rejects suicide and very few Iraqis, aside from some hardcore Saddamists, have blown themselves up. Iraqi Shiites and Kurds, who make up 80 percent of the great nation, have yet to blow themselves up. In spite of this, some Saudis, Syrians, and Jordanians have managed to slip over the border and destroy daily life for Iraqi civilians.
If most of the world's 1-1.5 billion Muslims accepted Al-Qaeda's version of Islam then the world would be a much darker place than it already is.
Posted by C.H. | December 13, 2009, 7:20 pm" "If anything I'd take it that you're hinting that violent Muslims are the norm and that one must look in Arabia to see how terrible this religion is"
The acts of a few can ruin the lives of millions…look at Iraq. Iraqi culture overwhelming rejects suicide and very few Iraqis, aside from some hardcore Saddamists, have blown themselves up. Iraqi Shiites and Kurds, who make up 80 percent of the great nation, have yet to blow themselves up. In spite of this, some Saudis, Syrians, and Jordanians have managed to slip over the border and destroy daily life for Iraqi civilians." "
- You didn't deny that violent Muslims are the norm, instead you imply that the majority of civilian deaths since the glorious US-Occupation of Iraq began are for the most part a result of those coincidentially neighbouring Arab countries, nevermind the fact that 2/3 of those countries are actually US allies. I'm sure what you meant to say was "foreign militants".
Its also wonderful that you just found out that the Iraqi people don't want to blow them selves up. These statistics are truely astounding.
You clearly have no clear undestanding between the cultural, national or religious boundraies of either the Arab world or the followers of Islam, you're consistently washing them all together to paint your filthy picture of hatred.
Work harder on stringing relavent quotes and sentances together and maybe read more into the implications of the language you use when you write.
Posted by MonicaB_ | December 13, 2009, 9:54 pm"You didn't deny that violent Muslims are the norm"
Uh, yes I did. But what exactly do you mean by "the norm"? If you are asking me if I believe that most Muslims are violent, I will respond by saying that they absolutely are not. But I'm going to refer to Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State of Iraq as Muslim Extremists because that's what they are…many of them really believe that they are going to heaven for killing children. Many of them also believe that a Koranic interpretation should be enforced under penalty of death. Luckily, most Muslims reject this, but it doesn't change the fact that those who DO believe it are "Muslim extremists".
Surely, you will join me in saying that the settlers who burned the mosque are "Jewish extremists", correct? Those crazies believe they need to fulfill religious obligations by annexing the West Bank. I'm sure you would also agree that people who blow up abortion clinics in the US are "Christian extremists", as is rebel leader Joseph Kony in Uganda.
"Its also wonderful that you just found out that the Iraqi people don't want to blow them selves up."
Oh please, I know many Iraqis. I've had arguments with so-called "leftist" Americans and non-Iraqi Arabs, where they say that Iraq's violence is its own fault–as if Iraqis are nothing but savages lusting for each other's blood. They blame America too, but exonerate the "foreign militants" who have thrown every nail-packed suicide vest and explosive laden vehicle obtainable at the emerging democracy in Iraq.
Posted by C.H. | December 13, 2009, 10:21 pmI won't join you. Religion is subjective.
You could approach a Muslim who prefers to pray 10 times a day, does that make him an extremist? Surely in the eyes of those who pray 5 it would. Tumble down this path and suddenly you have this notion of "good Muslims and bad Muslims", "moderate Muslims" and "extreme Muslims", "practising and non-practising".
All these terms build a highly polarized perception of the faith for those who do not understand it and suddenly people are afraid of Muslims because all they ever hear about is that pinnacle of this otherwise peaceful faith is uninformed aggression against innocent people.
Suddenly you have "Islamophobia" because every news source and running commentary uses this sadistic terms and the military might of the united states bearing down on a bunch of helpless civilians.
"I know Iraqis" – Is this how you've figured out they don't want to blow themselves up, because if so, then we have an entirely different problem on our hands and these Iraqis would probably not be too happy that statements like those you made above are the determinants of your arguments.
You've had arguments with leftist Americans and non-Iraqi Arabs, and they said something, cool. That doesn't mean that what they said was correct or that the result of your debate with 2 people with tertiary opinions about events happening on the other side of the fence actually amount to concrete evidence on the ground.
The problem is that you have established views of Islam and Arabs that you do not wish to change, you listen to what you like and piss away anything that doesn't fit your ideal model.
The opinions you've presented across throughout this discussion are incredibly idealistic and linear in nature, they do not take into account that a great many factors come into play when it comes down to forming a model for the conditions on the ground.
Whether you like it or not, whether the people you've talked to, or the articles you've read back up your opinion, you can not fully ascertain that any one party is or isn't responsible.
Regardless of who they are or what their record might stipulate, such is the basis of sound and subjective inferences.
Again, I'm not here to ague who did what or who is responsible for this or that, and I'm certainly not here to argue your perception that the occupation in Iraq is not only criminal but illegal.
My initial reply, and every subsequent one I've been struggling to deal with your poor inferences and even poorer backing.
Again, I would like to bring to your attention the fact that the original article by Hanitizer was not dealing with Muslims, and you through your inferences, tried to make it as such.
Not only is this wrong, but it makes you out to be a clear product of this continuing trend of unwarranted suspicion against Muslims and Arabs.
Posted by MonicaB_ | December 13, 2009, 11:29 pmlol, this dude is blaming "foreign" militants for ruining the "emerging democracy" in Iraq… I don't know what's more comical, a statement that pathetically ignorant or his reliance on the highly anecdotal "I've had many arguments with Iraqis!" line, as if that lends an ounce of credibility to your argument. Kind of the same way a guy claiming, "My BEST FRIEND is a black guy" over the internet doesn't hold much water.
All the same, your statement that alleged "foreign agents" are to blame for ruining an otherwise pristine colonial venture is so ridiculous it merits no response. "Foreign" militants? I didn't realize the tens of thousands of American occupation forces were indigenous to Iraq.. Or wait, I guess they are just heavily armed, violent tourists, according to you.
Please dude, continue your argument. Best entertainment I've had all day.
Posted by guest | December 16, 2009, 3:04 am12 times as many suicide bombings in Iraq as in Israel: http://iraqimojo.blogspot.com/2009/12/12-times-as…
Do Americans blow up markets?
Posted by Iraqi_Mojo | December 16, 2009, 3:08 am"as if that lends an ounce of credibility to your argument."
Like you actually care about credibility. If you did, you would not be attacking reason and jumping to the defense of a crowd that refuses to let go of the flat-earth, aliens-killed-Kennedy madness that "false flag ops", not Arab and Muslim terrorists, are not behind the carnage in Iraq. "Credibility" becomes meaningless when you hold a KABOBfest in a parallel reality—a universe of deceit.
Posted by C.H. | December 16, 2009, 4:52 amI wonder how Sean and the Arab Americans of KABOBfest will spin this:
'Critics said the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq said was driven by oil, but United States oil majors were largely absent from an Iraqi auction of oil deals snapped up instead by Russian, Chinese and other firms.'
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BB18Q20091…
Posted by Iraqi Mojo | December 13, 2009, 9:09 pmWhat about the non-Arab American of Kabobfest?
Anyway, the invasion of Iraq opened up a vast country and its resources to private American contractors-an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year in which the biggest benefeciaries are companies in who the major architects of the war have significant interest.
How do you justify the war? And don't reply here, wait until there's a topic on Iraq so you can stick to the topic.
Posted by MohammadKF | December 14, 2009, 11:01 amYou want me to respond to your question but you want me to wait until a KABOBer posts about Iraq? LOL. But none of you seem to be interested in Iraq except to blame it all on America.
Posted by Iraqi_Mojo | December 14, 2009, 3:30 pmHanitizer, whats up with that pic of Will at the end?
Posted by MohammadKF | December 14, 2009, 10:49 amVery good and interesting list!! As a non-Muslim, non-Arab I find most items on the list to be valid topics for heated debate, even if some of them are universal (7, 12, 13) rather than Arab and some are ambiguoius (14, 16). As to Salma and Haifa, they obviously have some good points also.
A few items are missing:
17. Conspiracy theories
18. Life of Muhammud
19. Decline of Arab civilization
20. Western women vs Arab Women
The list is now complete!
Of course, if one cannot discuss sex, religion, vices and politics, why live?
Posted by kactuz | December 14, 2009, 3:26 pm"The acts of a few can ruin the lives of millions…look at Iraq. Iraqi culture overwhelming rejects suicide and very few Iraqis, aside from some hardcore Saddamists, have blown themselves up. Iraqi Shiites and Kurds, who make up 80 percent of the great nation, have yet to blow themselves up. In spite of this, some Saudis, Syrians, and Jordanians have managed to slip over the border and destroy daily life for Iraqi civilians."
This dude is hilarious, blaming "foreign agents" in "Saudi Arabia, Syria, or Jordan for the violence in Iraq. I guess the 10,000s of American occupation forces are merely… heavily armed tourists? Oh, yeah. And they haven't contributed at all to any violence in Iraq. Nope. It's those "foreign" agents, destroying the daily lives of Iraqi civilians. Oh, yeah. The 10,000s of American occupation forces are indigenous Iraqis, mere innocent bystanders 'till those pesky Saudis and Syrians came in and fucked it all up. It was going perfect.
Posted by guest | December 16, 2009, 2:55 am2007: Suicide bombers head to Iraq from Damascus
http://iraqimojo.blogspot.com/2007/10/suicide-bom…
2005: Judge caught on tape encouraging Saudis to fight in Iraq
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7645118/
2007: Half of suicide bombers Saudi: http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jul/15/world/fg-…
More than 1,7000 suicide bombings in Iraq: http://iraqimojo.blogspot.com/2009/12/12-times-as…
Posted by Iraqi_Mojo | December 16, 2009, 3:05 amI must have missed it last week when American soldiers rammed explosive laden vehicles into the "den of spies" aka Iraqi shoppers, children at daycare etc. Luckily they left Iraqi cities 5 months ago.
Meanwhile, how many Muslims did the "resistance" kill today?
"Car bombs rock Iraqi cities"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8413160.st…
"suicide bomber hits Pakistani market"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8413579.stm
"suicide attack on Kabul hotel"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8413163.stm
Will your heroic "resistance" ever run out of bad guys to target civilian areas?
Posted by C.H. | December 16, 2009, 5:08 amI think the one about no matter how much time a non-Arab spends learning Arabic he or she will never speak it like a native is very true. Same goes with people/professors from other cultural backgrounds who decide to focus on the Middle East- no matter how many years they spend studying our culture, they're still outsiders. I am sorry. I refuse to take any Middle Eastern Studies courses with non-Arab professors; I will be always cynical of EVERYTHING THEY SAY.
Posted by Person | December 16, 2009, 10:26 pm"You spend five years of nothing but learning Arabic and then this Iraqi kid comes and tell you, “Oh, you speak Arabic, I bet you cannot understand me” and then he talks to his buddies and gives you a look that he is watching you watching him."
hahahahaha, you other arabs get annoyed by that huh?
well i'm guilty as charged.
great post.
*goes off to speak in non understandable iraqi dialect*
Posted by touta | January 1, 2010, 9:12 pmSaudi does not let foreigners into her country, so obviously you have not been( except maybe mecca).
so don't talk about a country you know nothing about… obviously crimes against humanity are committed.. but saudi isn't the single country, and saudi is a country like any other; just because you don't know what its about isn't a reason to call it a country of which all arabs are ashamed….
Posted by KooKoo | January 16, 2010, 11:58 amyour post on Saudi was extremely disrespectful and i can tell you as a Saudi myself i am offended and suggest you learn more about the country and its great efforts/contributions
Posted by h.a | April 13, 2011, 1:08 amWow… this is a very prideful post and about 95% one-sided from a narrow point of view. This is the reason these things CAN'T be discussed…. too many people are caught up in being busy getting offensive and defensive while building bigger walls. Sorry, but the rest of the world can't get over your walls. They're much too strong and covered with the graffiti of your own disrespect.
Posted by Liz | May 9, 2011, 4:30 pmWhat kind of post is this! I'm an Arab, and I met thousands of other Arab from different countries/religion/political view points. I'm sorry, but this is extremely ridiculous!
Posted by Ghassan Yonis | May 9, 2011, 11:14 pmUs gay Arab men DO EXIST. Straight Arab men don't like to talk about us because they all cheat on their wives by coming to us gays for oral sex. Sad but true.
Posted by Matty | August 22, 2011, 11:45 am