Bashar bashing is in full force tonight, as Lebanese Political Journal proclaims Assad's future "bleak": taking issue (once again) with the erstwhile Josh Landis, LPJ writes: 'Even if we are to take Landis' rosy forecast at face value, given the history of the area, it is highly unlikely that Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and (given Syria and Iran's historic relations with it) Armenia will become a bastion of peace and cooperation.' And lots more - go to the link ... meanwhile, Amarji is up to all kinds of no good with his case for regime change in Syria: 'By falling back on the Iranian option again (for let’s not forget here that this regime had sided once already with Iranian mullas during their long confrontation with the Saddam regime), and embracing the confrontational policies of Iranian President Ahmadinejad, the Assads of Syria have chosen a path that leaves no room for diplomatic maneuvers. The die has indeed been cast, and compromise is no longer possible. It’s all about victory or defeat now, and the US cannot afford to be defeated by the likes of Bashar, regardless of considerations of guilt and innocence, regardless of who should be assigned a greater share in the blame for bringing this situation about. This regime’s days are numbered.' And: 'The Syrian regime holds no cards of its own anymore, in fact, it itself has become a card in the hands of the Iranian mullahs.' Go to the link to find out what happens when the mullahs are deprived of that card ... and while you're at it, read about some Syrian political prisoners ...
Kofi Annan (yawn) condemns the terrorist murder in the Sinai peninsula ... so does (gag) Hamas ... and of course (bronx cheer) Mahmoud Abbas ...
Meanwhile, Kesher Talk congratulates Professor Pondscum on his possible accession to the hallowed halls of Yale: 'Kesher Talk has been following the bloggish career of Juan Cole, since one of our specialities is academic antisemitism. Now that Cole is being considered for appointment by Yale University, let's review: Cole uses guilt by association to accuse the brothers who write Iraq the Model being CIA agents, because they are supported by Americans who support the war. As the Fadhil brothers, sponsored by Spirit of America, travel around the US to meet their supporters, Cole and his blogosphere buddies stir up conspiracy theories about their motives, to the extent that Spirit of America feels it necessary to issue a disclaimer. These smears are then uncritically used as part of a story by a NYTimes reporter to further cast doubts on the Fadhils. Cole accuses MEMRI of getting under-the-table financing. Steven I Weiss challenges Cole's numbers, demonstrating that Cole has no idea how the real world works. Cole speculates on the personal life of reporter Steven Vincent not a week after his death, earning him a stinging email rebuke by Vincent's widow.' ... what a classy guy ... go to the link for the whole scoop ...
And finally, returning to the scene of the crime: 'Coordinated triple blast killed at least 30 people, injured 170, at Dahab, the Red Sea resort on eastern Sinai coast Monday night' ... Jane has a roundup and reports that Big Pharaoh is OK ... while Donald Sensing at Winds of Change writes about al-Qaeda's war against Muslims ...
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
