Juan Cole

Why an Iranian Oil Boycott by Europe Would Fail

Why an Iranian Oil Boycott by Europe Would Fail

JUAN COLE: An Economist Intelligence Unit graphic of consumption pinpoints with simple clarity why an EU boycott of Iranian oil could have only a limited impact.

 James M. Dorsey

Qatar Alcohol Ban Underlines Internal Tensions

Qatar Alcohol Ban Underlines Internal Tensions

JAMES M. DORSEY: Alcohol has been banned on the Pearl Qatar, dubbed the ‘Arab Riviera’. It’s the latest manifestation of internal discord.

 Rob L. Wagner

‘This Car Is Made With Pride in Riyadh’: At Last, Saudi’s ‘Magic Export Product’?

‘This Car Is Made With Pride in Riyadh’: At Last, Saudi’s ‘Magic Export Product’?

ROB L. WAGNER: Saudi Arabia has been looking for more than 40 years for an export product that will minimize its dependency on oil. Have they found it?

 Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

Women and Marriage: What’s in it For Us?

Women and Marriage: What’s in it For Us?

SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Why should women get married? The lived reality for women that is wildly different from the theory of matrimonial bliss.

 James M. Dorsey

‘Cultural’ Symbol: Hijab Dispute Nears End

‘Cultural’ Symbol: Hijab Dispute Nears End

JAMES M. DORSEY: It has been a running sore between FIFA, football’s world governing body, and women’s football teams throughout the Islamic world.

 thehedonista

The Joys and Chores of Buying ‘Dubai Kitsch’

The Joys and Chores of Buying ‘Dubai Kitsch’

THE HEDONISTA: ‘No photos’, ‘No Fixed Price’, ‘Come back later?’ Ah yes, the recurrent phrases heard buying ‘Dubai Kitsch’. So what’s the best way to go about it?

 The View From Fez

Medical Tourism: ‘a growing trend’ in Morocco

Medical Tourism: ‘a growing trend’ in Morocco

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: Low prices combined with a growing reputation for excellence mean that many people from Europe and the United States are flocking to Moroccan plastic surgeons.

 Mondoweiss

Masterful Obama Delivers Rebuke to Jewish Lobby

Masterful Obama Delivers Rebuke to Jewish Lobby

PHILIP WEISS, MONDOWEISS: A visibly angry Barack Obama, fresh from yet another humiliation at the hand of Benjamin Netanyahu, delivered a stinging rebuke to the Jewish lobby at the AIPAC conference.

 James M. Dorsey

Strauss-Kahn Arrest puts European control of IMF at risk

Strauss-Kahn Arrest puts European control of IMF at risk

JAMES M. DORSEY: Emerging markets are demanding that the heads of major international institutions be chosen on the basis of merit…

 Sam

Comment on The Real Damage of Vanity Fair’s Attack on Dubai by Sam

By: AmyAus82 ..

I’m so sick and tired of this junk.

It’s the same story ‘locals are rich, lazy and stupid’, ‘westerners (whites) are ‘drunks here for the money living lives they couldn’t in their own country’, and the ‘poor unfortunate workers struggle through every day more humble than the last’…

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Let’s call it as it really is, shall we?

Locals: living a country that developed around them so have known nothing other than living the way they have and are trying to enjoy it, They value education and love their family but enjoy active social lives, whether it be with friends or just their family.

Whites: offered better deals so came here to get forward because 1) they would have the chance to move up a level, and 2) they would return to their country with cross cultural experience, extra bonus for future jobs. Don’t love everyday, but work hard to get to the next because they are living in a mixed bag of cultures and it IS tough so YES they do enjoy those nice five star events because, while away from their families and friends, they do tend to substitute the sadness with ‘things’- but still hard working and do it every day because that’s life

Drones: Not always as ‘woe as me’ as the papers make them. They came here for the same reason the whites did, the money is better than in their country. Many of them suffer, but let’s face it, they suffer in their own countries regardless and it’s not an issue of ‘UAE treating them bad’ it’s an issue of the world declaring some countries are third world and have poor passports so don’t have education/quality to first world standards. Don’t be fooled into thinking they are all in need of help, many will stab you in the back if they get the chance – because they’re born evil? No. Because they were born and taught from birth that survival is battle of the strongest. Not everyone with a sad face is a victim.

That’s a better stereotype. One our ‘learned’ friend didn’t bother to find out about. He flew in, stayed for a day or two and flew out. He wrote a high school newsletter article and left.

The same insulting article could have been written by me about holidays in the US, UK, Asia, Africa… many countries… if I chose to look at the things he chooses to look it.

‘Deafening journey to loud mouthed, narrow minded America’
‘Who will England whinge to next?’
‘Australia: Are you sure it’s not Asia or the Middle East?’

You can angle anything you want from anything you want.

It’s a case of whether your journalists really wants to write or just wants to make a word count.

We can see from his opening paragraph that rattled off possibly four or five metaphors, wasting even more of our time, that he had a word count that needed to be filled and to have filled it with ‘real’ information would have required references, the time for which he did not want to spend.

Boo to you AA Gill.

I will never read an article by you again.

I am stupider for having read it and would like those 10 minutes of my life back.

Boo.

 James M. Dorsey

2022 World Cup Driving Qatari Labour Clean Up

2022 World Cup Driving Qatari Labour Clean Up

JAMES DORSEY: The workers are a necessarily evil, but over time they are almost certain to change the nature of society – a notion that sends chills down Qatari spines.

 James M. Dorsey

European Clubs See Opportunity in Middle East’s Failure in Asia Cup

European Clubs See Opportunity in Middle East’s Failure in Asia Cup

JAMES M. DORSEY: Mounting criticism of Middle Eastern nations’ failure to nurture soccer talent has created a business opportunity for European clubs.

 James M. Dorsey

Governments Undermining MidEast Soccer

Governments Undermining MidEast Soccer

JAMES M. DORSEY: In a soccer-crazy world of authoritarian regimes, football offers one of society’s few release valves.

 James M. Dorsey

Money Talks: Qatar’s WC Bid Fits SWF Strategy

Money Talks: Qatar’s WC Bid Fits SWF Strategy

JAMES M. DORSEY: Flush with cash, Qatar spared no cost in its campaign to win the bid the World Cup. But are there ethical questions here?

 Marium Sattar

1001 Inventions Challenge Western Sterotypes

1001 Inventions Challenge Western Sterotypes

MARIUM SATTAR: An exhibition showcasing the discoveries of Islam’s ‘Golden Age’ has attracted visitors in the hundreds of thousands, and helped overturn some pervasive prejudices.

 Juan Cole

Oil Price Rise means a Happy 2011 in Tehran

Oil Price Rise means a Happy 2011 in Tehran

JUAN COLE: While U.S consumers bemoan oil price rises it’s smiles all round in Iran. The OPEC chair is in no hurry to do anything about spiraling costs.

 Juan Cole

Top 10 Middle East Challenges for U.S. Policy, 2011

Top 10 Middle East Challenges for U.S. Policy, 2011

JUAN COLE: The Obama administration has been successful in tightening the financial noose on Iran during 2010, but Iran could fight back like a cornered rat…

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