http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Tue, 24 May 2005 18:33:12 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. 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Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/05/24/183312.php SasaAleppo, Syria has been named as the 2006 City of Culture by the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization - a world body.The city rivals Damascus in its claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. It is at least 5000 years old. And it has been the centre of empires and civilisations throughout history.The city has also been home to many great scientists and founders of Islamic culture.The city will host exhibitions and events, as well as showcasing documentaries. A website will be launched soon - and you can find it here first.Archaeologist J Sauvaget wrote:Of all the towns of Syria, it is Aleppo that leaves the profoundest impression upon the visitor.Cradled in a bowl of dry hills in northern Syria, the city of Aleppo has a grave and dignified front of a traditional Arab city, although its rules are more relaxed than neighboring countries.It's been a luring point for passing traveler with its fine Arabic tradition, architecture and trade. Since Roman times, Aleppo has been an important trading center linking the countries of Asia and the Mediterranean and is thought to be the oldest trading town in existence, with some 50 centuries of commerce in its rich history. Aleppo has one of the biggest and best souqs in the Middle East. National specialties include cotton, grain, pistachios, olives and sheep.Even with my outlook on the world being shaped by Damascus, I can put traditional Damascus-Aleppo rivalries behind me to congratulate Aleppo! But don't forget, Damascus is the 2008 City of Culture!(p.s. the book I've linked to 'Aleppo Tales' is a collection of three stories written by an Aleppine Jew - Aleppo boasts one the world's oldest Jewish communities: I've written about Syria's Jews on The Syrian News Wire).From The Syrian News Wire. Culture30093@blogcritics.org Tue, 24 May 2005 18:33:12 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/05/15/212011.php SasaVillagers in the Syrian town of Showaiyeh were woken on Thursday night by heavy fighting in Al-Qaim, one mile away. But Al-Qaim is across the border in war torn Iraq, and Showaiyeh is on the Syrian side of the border.Residents hear the sound of warplanes, and bombing, which shake their houses to the foundation. They watched helicopters attack the town from their rooftops, and hear small arms return fire."Smoke was rising in the air from al-Qaim" said one Syrian.This is the area where Syria built a 12 foot high sand barrier in November last year, under American pressure.The US occupying forces in Iraq have accused Syria of not preventing fighters cross the border into Iraq at hotspots like Al-Qaim. That's how the justified the assult on Al-Qaim. But Al-Qaim's Mayor scoffed at claims that Syrians had passed through his town. Syrian residents near the border have been watching as Syria has pulled down the shutters between the two countries.The fact remains: out of the 10,000 people in Iraqi jails accused of fighting, only 56 are Syrian - there are more Jordanians.From The Syrian News Wire. Politics29486@blogcritics.org Sun, 15 May 2005 21:20:11 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/05/09/134057.php SasaLebanese General*/Prime Minister*/President* (*depending on his mood) Michael Aoun has returned to Beirut. I've come to save you, it's ok now - let's continue where we left off 15 years ago: "Today is a day for joy, a day for jubilation. I'm back." Now, where exactly did we leave off 15 years ago. Ah yes, he extended the Civil War by a year, prolonging the suffering of Lebanon. Aoun was installed as interim Prime Minister in 1988 to help work towards elections. But as a supporter of democracy, he ignored the elections, insisted that he should stay on as PM and exploited his position to help his military campaign. And this is the man who might run for office this month.Even after a new PM was elected, he still didn't accept that he should step down, so he set up the the 'alternative Presidential Palace' - Lebanon had two Presidents. Some say the Civil War would have ended a year earlier if he had not persisted - his extra year of war was the bloodiest since the war began in 1975.A year before he fled the country in his pyjamas, the rest of Lebanon had said enough - they agreed to stop fighting, and all elements of Lebanese society eventually signed up to the Taef Peace Accords - except, that is, our friend Michel Aoun.Some of his biggest enemies are in the Christian community. They believe he sacrificed them for his personal ambition, and left them divided and in a weaker political position coming out of the war.When he arrived back in Lebanon yesterday he was driven to Martyrs' Square to speak to a packed audience. Except that nearly all of the protesters took their camps down a week ago. Only Aoun's FPM party was left standing.He has promised to fight corruption (oh, there's that word fight again) even though he was convicted of embezzling state funds."I am the grandfather, the father and the son of the opposition" he proclaimed. That's interesting. I'd say the grandfathers of the opposition are the hundred and fifty thousand people who died at the hands of warlords like him, the millions who've painstakingly rebuilt Lebanese society, the people of the camps and slums and prisons who fought an Israeli occupation, and Syrian military presence. Was Aoun, with his baguettes and his panoramic apartment overlooking the Sienne really the inspiration for Lebanon's opposition?Aoun with his civil war mentality, who hasn't witnessed Lebanon's revitilisation, reconciliation and rebirth, will do whatever it takes to finally make something of himself. Even if that means trampling over the bones of the man who rebuilt Lebanon: Rafiq Al-Hariri. Aoun really is the anti-Hariri.Robert Fisk: "Life in [Aoun's "liberated"] East Beirut was becoming more like life in Baghdad than a 'free' Lebanon."Daily updates on The Syrian News Wire. Politics29219@blogcritics.org Mon, 9 May 2005 13:40:57 EDT