Climate Change Threatens To Eliminate Half Of Israel’s Allies

Marshall Islands is one of the four reliable “No” votes usually registered against UN resolutions condemning Israeli human rights violations. Along with the United States, Micronesia, and Solomon Islands, the latter two expected to be flooded at later stages in the firs half of this century.

Hotel Kyrgyzstan

There is likely more to the fighting in Kyrgyzstan than long-held hostilities. The ousted president was a strong American ally who hosted an American airbase only a few steps from Afghanistan and the former-opposition-now-government is a strong ally of a Russia that is increasingly concerned about American presence and influence in central Asia, so a good ol’ proxy war scenario is totally plausible here.

Why I am celebrating the first Arab American Miss USA

I would be lying if I said I didn’t tear up at the news. I did. In fact, when I watched the last 15 minutes of the West Coast broadcast a couple of hours ago, already well aware of the I cried. The image of a woman stereotypical in her phenotypical representation of Levantine beauty, sandwiched in by corn-fed Heidis from the hilltops of Oklahoma and other breadbasket states, and her win over these shoe-ins for belles of the nationally televised American ball, still registered as incomprehensible.

For as strong as the backlash has been to what some have already responded to as “misplaced celebrations” by our community, for lauding an achievement tied to the exploitation of the female body, tonight was, unequivocally historic.

America and Israel: ‘special relationship’ intact

“The worst diplomatic crisis in decades.” These were the words used by Israeli ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, recently to describe the perceived rift between Israel and the Obama administration over Israel’s illegal settlement policy in occupied East Jerusalem.

Iraq: Liberated at Last?

The drawback of American troops from major cities is a promising development, but I would not get too excited.

The Iraqi government proclaimed it ‘National Sovereignty Day’ and partied like it was God’s birthday. The manufacturing of national holidays propagated with contrived symbolic meaning is eerily familiar.

Still, if anything, this occasion gives Iraqis something to celebrate. And God knows they need something. Bankrupt American policies such as the crushing sanctions — with United Nations complicity — since 1990, and the heartless invasion, added more misery to the tyrannical governance for the Saddam Hussein regime.

“We only seem to waterboard Muslims”

But apparently that’s an extreme statement, according to the most useless of The View members, Elizabeth Hasslebeck (sorry Sherri Shepard!), a blonde beauty with a fascistic conservative overcoat, seemingly in style these days. While I’m not big on show itself – which has some potential – I have always been drawn to Hasslebeck’s complete idiocy. [...]

9 Places That Remind Palestinians of Home

The DMVWe all have reasons to hate this stupid government entity; one that wastes our time and the tax payers’ money only to turn around and give us lousy service and a piece of paper that could be obtained online much faster. If I could, I wouldn’t hesitate paying someone to stand in that line [...]

Why is the name “Mohammad” declining in the US, but not the UK?

I was curious about the ranking of the name “Mohammad” and two variant spellings among newborns in the United States. A baby name website provides graphs of name rankings based on US Census data — not that I’m having a baby anytime soon. It also shows rates in other countries, mostly in parts of Great [...]

Israelis, Clowns and Midgets in Gaza

As if massive destruction in Gaza, collective punishment, starvation, imprisonment, and constant Israeli harassment aren’t enough. A Palestinian charity (that shall remain nameless) which has a long track record of working with the children in Gaza, is holding various events and entertainment programs to alleviate their suffering and to allow them a means to vent [...]

A Semi-Stereotypical Defense of Mexico

Mexico is just about as popular as President Bush thanks to the swine flu. Flights are being canceled left and right. Thanks to this little bug going around, the entire Mexican nation is the world’s piñata right now. Conservatives are pointing fingers and immigrant-bashing; liberals are eating Thai instead and changing their vacation plans to [...]