Al Jazeera reports on a new poll based on 501 interviews of Arab-Americans:

Forty-six per cent of Arab-Americans identify with the Democrats, but only 20 per cent identify with the Republicans, compared to roughly equal support for each party in 2000, according to the Arab American Institute poll.

Asked who they would vote for, about 46 per cent of Arab-Americans said they would back Obama in the November 4 elections, while 32 per cent said they would support John McCain.

Ralph Nader, the independent candidate whose parents immigrated from Lebanon, gathered about six per cent of Arab-American support.

Obama’s support increased to 54 per cent when Nader was not included as a candidate.

Ralph Nader is an Arab-American (his parents immigrated from Lebanon) as opposed to Obama who was simply born to an Muslim father.

I think the real story here is that even with an Arab-American on the ballot, the votes are still going to Obama who has always asserted his Christian religion.

Things that make you go ‘hmmmm’.

Popularity: 4% [?]

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It’s like trying to resuscitate an already vegetative corps:

The cash-strapped Palestinian Authority will receive a financial boost from Saudi Arabia to help Prime Minister Salam Fayyad pay public sector salaries, Palestinian officials said on Saturday.

“The Saudi finance minister told the Palestinian Authority that the decision was made to transfer $100 million,” said Palestinian Information Minister Riyad al-Malki.

Malki said the money was part of pledges made to the Palestinian Authority at a donors conference in Paris in December and expected the transfer to arrive in the coming days.

Fayyad has struggled in recent months to pay government workers because many Arab donors have not met their financial commitments.

Maybe because the Arab donors are smart enough not to actually donate money to the palsyated Hamas government.  Pledging money is one thing (It’s great for public relations.  Arab brotherhood and all), but actually GIVING them the money??

Speaking of Arab support of Palestine, the ever dubious DEBKA file “military source” suggests a mainly Egyptian military force of 3,000 will be pledged to “assist” the impoverished Palestine:

DEBKAfile’s military sources report that a new 11-point scheme, just developed by Saudi King Abdullah and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, provides for the bulk of the 3,000-strong force to be Egyptian. The plan would effectively restore Egypt’s pre-1967 domination of the Gaza Strip.

It will be presented to Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak when he visits Mubarak’s summer palace in Alexandria, Tuesday, Aug. 26.

In 1967, (The Six Day War as dubbed by Israel) Egypt had complete control over the Gaza strip during it’s war with Israel.  Are they suggesting a “softer” occupation in conjunction with Israeli and Saudi support?

Popularity: 5% [?]

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On one hand, the U.S. denies Palestinian Fulbright scholars visas to study in the United States.  And on the other hand, they allow Arab students already studying in the U.S. entry to the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC.

Dozens of students from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bahrain, The United Arab Emirates and Qatar visited the Israeli embassy in Washington this week.

“It was a unique opportunity to explain Israel’s position first hand,” said Rafi Harpaz, director of Public Affairs at the embassy, in a report sent to the Foreign Ministry.

When the briefing was over, the Arab students, all from affluent homes, shook Harpaz’ hand and asked to take photos with him, telling the director it was their first time meeting an Israeli.

Each student received a PR kit that included brochures about Israel, photos and CDs.

Perhaps the most important phrase here is that they’re “all from affluent homes”.

On the other side of the globe, Arabs are in a tiff:

Bahraini activists are upset with the United States after what they call unfair promoting of foreign interests as part of an international scholarship program for Arab students.

[Ibrahim Sharif, Secretary General of the National Democratic Action Society (NDAS)] said, “We have good relations with U.S. and several students go to pursue higher studies. It is normal for them to learn and understand American culture, but taking them to the Israeli embassy is bad taste.“

Bad taste? Welcome to free thinking, Mr. Sharif.

Popularity: 10% [?]

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….and many believe (raising my hand) that they should be banned from the Olympics.

Countries with men-only Olympic teams include Brunei, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. According to their respective governments, women are barred from Olympic participation for “cultural and religious reasons.”

The International Olympic Committee charter states that “any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, sex or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.”

The Olympic Committee charter clearly states the illegality of the Arab countries, yet they’re still allowed to compete.

It’s a little reminiscent of the shameful ban on black athletes during the infancy of the Olympic games…. hmmmm.

Then again, we’re talking about a country that bans the sale of dogs and cats in its capital. Apparently, walking a cute animal in public is a catalyst for attracting the opposite sex. And we can’t have flirtation, now can we?

Popularity: 10% [?]

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Iraq has a new flag… though… it’s actually the 2nd new flag since Saddam was taken out of power… though, strangely enough- no one seems to notice.

(left) From 1991-2004 the flag had three stars and the words God is Great in what is said to be Saddam’s own handwriting. The stars which on the previous flag represented the proposed United Arab Republic between Iraq, Egypt and Syria (which never came into fruition) were changed in meaning to Unity, Freedom, Socialism the three tenents of the Ba’ath Party motto.




(left) In 2004 the script on the flag was changed to move away from ties to Saddam.




(left) In 2008 the stars were removed altogether, though the script remains.So how is the flag sitting with the people of Iraq?

In northern Iraq, the autonomous Kurdish minority rarely allows the Iraqi flag to fly over official buildings, preferring its own national banner with its golden sunburst motif.

But for many Arabs in the rest of Iraq, the traditional national banner, with its stars, had become a rallying point for an often divided people in the difficult and violent years since the US invasion.

The Iraqi football team won the Asian Cup last year under the former flag. It is ubiquitous in Baghdad, where it flies on official buildings, is daubed on shopfronts, flaps on car dashboards and is painted on highway flyovers.

So far, the new banner can only be seen over the prime minister’s office.

Well… that’s promising…

Popularity: 4% [?]

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