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February 21, 2005
Heading out [edited to add reference] (Arab Street)
Trying to write up something coherent on potential sectoral strategies without any data. Fucking brilliant, I say. Convincing? I hope so. Get data you say, I laugh. This is MENA. Statistics department treats all current data as a state secret. You can only imagine what hell I have to go through to get a bloody Central Bank administrative reg laying out the guidelines for interest rate swaps. Theoretically public, but....
Otherwise, a few amusing round ups:
Although I know it will drive certain of my knee jerk American Pseudo Con readers crazy, I provide you with this entertaining link to Angry Arab on the Arab Sats:
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2005/02/angry-arab-guide-to-middle-east-media_19.html
I found it amusing. The core observations are useful, although the abuse he heaps on al-Arabiyah is, in my opinion way off base with the exception of his rightfully noting signs of pressure not to hit KSA, go soft. A lesson for the knee jerkers thinking "privatization" means better. Market context, know it, love it, understand or get fucked with no lube at all. As you can tell, our man has some issues with the Lebanese Xian Right. I have not bother to look into his background, but I am guessing Palestinian or Lebanese Xian, and of course quite a Lefty.
Regardless, for those of you with firing neurons, you can tease out interesting core observations from his entertaining rant. I note he gets LBC entirely right, but appears to think LebSlut Broadcasting Corp is a bad thing. Well, I do suppose some effort to be a little less vapid might make the eye candy more watchable.
I also note that his carping about quality of Arabic is pretty typical of the Arab left. I know a top economist back there (The East) who tells me he ceased to write in Arabic on economic issues for this reason. Purists. On the other hand, he has a point regarding the Lebs. But then the Egyptians speak piss poor formal Arabic and that doesn't seem to irritate him. Still, one has to be a real stick up the ass to bitch about al-Arabiyah Arabic. Else, I note his "guide" is really Sham plus Gulf. Suggests to me Palestinian. I also note I think he more or less nails al-Hurrah. The station is so lunatically poorly positioned vis-a-vis the audience that it really does feel like a con job. I should share that USG types in the feel have told me their read on it is similar.
Regardless, for the adults out there, interesting if flawed, but amusing recap.
I also share this for its pure amusement value:
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2005/02/this-arabic-website-translated-my-post.html
This Arabic website translated my post on Hariri (Myth and Reality) from below. But they translated "brothels" as "fancy beauty parlors." I was amused.
I am as well. Fancy beauty parlors. That's really priceless.
Else, this arty via our Angry Axe Grinder Arab is useful:
Why 'Mr Lebanon' had many enemies
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1418516,00.html
The key issue at the moment is no one really knows what the bomb was. I frankly am not buying quick off the cuff estimates on its sophistication or not (and given there is a little island a motor boat ride away with plenty of freelance bombers for hire, not particularly convincing as to being conclusive as to foreign intel or not).
Nevertheless, the Syrians have announced a troop pullback, which is probably a facade to let off steam, a little two step.
Let me (and I am confess this is prompted by Abu Aardvark) link to an interesting poll out of The Center for Strategic Studies, Univ of Jordan.
http://www.css-jordan.org/new/index.html
The relevant docy is Revisiting The Arab Street
I note the following: (i) I have not read this closely, actually got in ... never mind; (ii) I highly recommend the source. I know the authors personally, Fares Braizat, who is the mover behind this is a great guy and Mustafa Hamarneh is also very interesting. Full disclosure. In re Fares and Mustafa's bro, I have done / do business with them. Nothing regarding this topic though.
Regardless, although I may appear to be pimping amigos, I hold these guys in high regard. Now, of course, I have to find the time to actually read it.
Added again to give you a teaser:
Overview of Findings
The study draws seven conclusions:
1) Arabs hold coherent notions of what constitute the values of Western and Arab
societies. They associate the West with individual liberty and wealth, while they
view themselves as emphasizing religion and family.
2) Arab perceptions of Western societal and cultural values do not determine their
attitudes toward Western foreign policies.
3) Religion is not the basis of tension between Arabs and the West.
4) The Arab world does not reject the professed goals of the West�s foreign policies
toward the Arab World, but rather objects to the discrepancy between professed
ideals and perceived reality.
5) Arabs disagree fundamentally with US positions on issues such as the definition of
terrorism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and war in Iraq.
6) Despite disagreements and disillusionments, many Arabs desire stronger relations
between their countries and the West.
7) Arab dissatisfaction with US policies is unlikely to diminish in the absence of
significant US foreign policy changes.
I'll have to dig into this when I get a chance, regardless, let me reiterate, Braisat and Hamarneh are top notch in my opinion.
Added:
Final addition, I wanted to link to this amusing overview of the whacky Bawaba story:
http://abuaardvark.typepad.com/abuaardvark/2005/02/haife_wahbi_rei.html
Nota bene, when I refer to LebSlut, this is what I am refering to. My office features these kinds of features.
Posted by The Lounsbury at February 21, 2005 05:03 PM
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Jan-July 2005
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