My following article appears in today’s edition of Crikey: Christmas Island is a “pressure cooker”, according to one recently-returned refugee advocate. And the situation will blow up completely if the federal government is allowed to deport asylum seekers back to strife-torn Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. As more boats arrive at the offshore immigration processing centre”‰—”‰and…
Showing all posts tagged Lebanon
Hariri doesn’t look towards the West for support
Syria and Saudi Arabia are the real powers behind the throne in Lebanon. Israel and the US should remember this reality.
It isn’t just Israel abusing Palestinians
Life for Palestinians in exile remains a largely ignored issue in the Middle East. Many Arab regimes have acted terribly towards these poor people over countless decades. Palestinians in Lebanon face discrimination and outright racism.
American arms despots, hopes for peace and good outcomes
This is the wonderfully concise, humane and sensible approach by the Obama administration to bring peace to the Middle East; more weapons: The Obama administration is quietly working with Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf allies to speed up arms sales and rapidly upgrade defenses for oil terminals and other key infrastructure in a bid…
Fisk on ever-worsening tensions between Lebanon and Israel
Robert Fisk on renewed fears that Israel and Lebanon may be at war again soon. The insanity of such a move is undoubted – both sides, Hizbollah and Israel, have been threatening the other – but it’s clear that Israel is determined to avenge its disastrous 2006 adventure against Lebanon: Of course, the gentle countryside…
Israel initiates terrorism, says Turkey and Lebanon
This must be Israel’s wonderful outreach working wonders on friends and neighbours: The prime ministers of Turkey and Lebanon on Monday lashed out at Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace and air strikes in Gaza, warning they were undermining prospects for peace in the region. “Attacks on Lebanon is terrorism itself ”¦ We have to stand…
Is the US capable of not only sending missiles to help Yemen?
Patrick Cockburn in the Independent on Washington’s seeming desperation to fall into al-Qaeda’s trap again and again and escalate militaristic policies in a Muslim land: There is ominous use by American politicians and commentators of the phrase “failed state” in relation to Yemen, as if this some how legitimised foreign intervention. It is extraordinary that…
The scars of Israeli aggression in Lebanon still raw
The Lebanese haven’t forgotten the 2006 war and nor should they: Speaker Nabih Berri’s media adviser Ali Hamdan said on Monday cluster bombs dropped by Israel during the summer 2006 ought to be considered “a prolongation of Israeli attacks and violence against Lebanon.” Hamdan spoke to reporters after visiting Salim Nimr Hamdan, 70, who was…
America loves you by killing you, argues Thomas Friedman
The New York Times bubble has helped Thomas Friedman for a very long time (like here). But his latest pronouncement from the mount maybe takes the cake: Yes, after two decades in which U.S. foreign policy has been largely dedicated to rescuing Muslims or trying to help free them from tyranny — in Bosnia, Darfur,…
Hacks can’t spin away Olmert’s shameful record
Following the news that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived in Australia, I submitted the following (unpublished) letter to the major papers: It is revealing that Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert swung into Australia virtually unannounced this week and was given a “warm welcome” by the Parliamentary Speaker. Olmert is currently under investigation…