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AFP reports that on Friday an aide to junior cleric Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr lashed out at Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani over his silence at the attacks on Sadr City (a Shiite slum) by the US and the government of PM Nuri al-Maliki: ‘ “We are surprised by the silence in Najaf where the highest Shiite […]

The USG Open Source Center analyzes the Lebanese press on the crisis between the Seniora government and Hizbullah, suggesting that despite their harsh words, they have left wiggle room for a resolution. OSC Report: Lebanon — Both Sides Take Tough Line, Leave Room To ManeuverLebanon — OSC ReportFriday, May 9, 2008 . . . Lebanon […]

Irina Prentice writes from Beirut: Beirut Ramping Up Yesterday afternoon the political fight came to a head, turning to armed conflict throughout key neighborhoods in Beirut. Loud explosions, automatic machine gun fire, rocket propelled grenade, and pistol shots resounded throughout the night. The fight moved from a vicinity of half a kilometer from . . […]

On late Friday, the Lebanese army moved into some neighborhoods that had been taken during the day by the Hizbullah militia. Hizbullah routed Sunni militiamen loyal to Saad Hariri and set fire to the offices of al-Mustaqbal newspaper, his press outlet. (The Lebanese Army declined to intervene, the same mistake it made in 1975). Likewise, […]

Gary Sick, a political scientist at Columbia University and former National Security Council staffer under Carter and Reagan, writes: Hillary Clinton’s warning that the United States could “obliterate” Iran if that country should “foolishly consider” launching an attack on Israel is, of course, pandering to a broad American constituency that wants to hear tough rhetoric […]

Israel is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and let me take this opportunity to wish my Israeli readers a happy anniversary. The Middle East is always viewed through the lens of politics and strife, but having lived and visited a lot over there I’d like to suggest that it is forgotten how few people are actually […]

Violence in Lebanon Courtesy al-Hayat Update: CNN is reporting that the Lebanese military is reluctant to intervene in street fighting between pro-Hizbullah forces and supporters of the Seniora government. Aljazeera is also reporting that the Lebanese military has drawn back from flashpoints. It showed one clip of troops facing crowds of young men throwing stones, […]

Senator John McCain, who seeks endorsements from haters of Roman Catholics, is alleging that Hamas has “endorsed” Barack Obama. He darkly suggests that this means something. It is a despicable, dirty campaign trick. Who do you think the Ku Klux Klan will be endorsing? And if the Grand Dragons plump for McCain, does that tell […]

Barack Obama pulled closer to clinching the nomination last night, widening his lead over Hillary Clinton in voted delegates and in the popular vote. He overwhelmingly took Indianapolis and narrowed her earlier lead to only 2%, about 20,000 votes out of the hundreds of thousands cast. Obama even got 35% of working class whites in […]