German Expert Identifies Truly Nice Dictator

Poor Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. He's such a nice guy, but unfortunately the Syrian military won't allow him to transform the country into an Arabic version of South Korea.

I am not making this up. This is what Michael Lueders claims, one of Germany's foremost Arabia experts, in a comment in the left-wing daily Frankfurter Rundschau. According to Lueders Israel and the U.S. government try to "demonize" Syria.

And there's another culprit next door (you won't guess it): "What is Israel keeping from realizing the 50 year old dream for a life in peace and security? The answer has two words: Ariel Sharon."

Well, not everyone has tender feelings for al-Assad, though:

Source: Cox & Forkum

Couldn't some expert - possibly from Germany - explain to these clueless Lebanese folks that Mr. al-Assad has purely peaceful intentions?

(Hat tip Ruth Fink)

Comments

[Mike Perry]

Perhaps someone should fix Google so a search for "expert" has as the top hit a page that says:

"Expert, synonymous with stupid."

And each week the webpage could be updated to give as an example the latest stupid remark by an expert.

I can't help but recall two meetings, a year apart, that President Johnson had with foreign policy "experts" about our war in Vietnam. At the first, every single one of them advised him to stay in Vietnam. At the second, every one of them advised him to get out.

Given the complexity of an issue like Vietnam, you'd expect a bit more diversity at the first meeting and less of a stampede to the opposite point of view at the second. LBJ's experts were as clueless as a herd of sheep, wandering first in one direction and then in another. Some experts.

--Mike Perry, Seattle
Author: Untangling Tolkien

[Pato]

Wow. Who can tolerate this?

"The Whore Lived Like a German"
By Jody K. Biehl in Berlin
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,344374,00.html

OT - As expected, Franca Potente has hit the German talk show scene but, quite surprisingly, is not half as anti-American as she sounded in her interview several years back. Like last night, on Johannes B. Kerner (ZDF), she resisted several and repeated come-ons by the host to spread the expected loudmouthing crap, and was very careful of what she said, and how she said it. Of course, the audience was not too pleased.

I was just wondering what has caused this change of heart. Could it be she read some of the postings on this blog? While I am a regular visitor, I do not usually write in, but I just wanted to say that I admire your stance and wish you all the best. Keep up the good work, guys.
Best wishes from Edie

[EU Serf]

Whether you are a fan of the Texan Cowboy or not, the rumblings of democracy around the world, and particularly in the middle east should bring a smile to the face of all.

Unfortunately, rather than have a discussion about whether GW deserves credit or not, (They can always choose to believe not) the European Sophisticates are all rubbishing the dawn of a better world. For a true picture of what these people stand for, nothing could be a better example.

They define themselves simply by haterd of the USA and everything it stands for.

[Pogue]

AT least we don't have to listen to these idiots moralizing anymore

If they don't stand with the people of Lebanon now what is the excuse?

And did that Run Lola skank make any more movies or what?

[Pato]

Some might be interested in Victor Hanson's weekly Friday comment today. This time he writes about "eurospeak". The man is a geniuos-
http://victorhanson.com/articles/hanson030405.html
"So if Europe sounds conflicted, that's because it is. One symptom of such a troubled patient is its blustering rhetoric — as if words can mask reality, as if idealistic vocabulary and shots at America can substitute for faith in Western values, sacrifice, and risk-taking. One reason that Europe understands so well the braggadocio and sense of inferiority of the impotent Muslim world is that it suffers precisely from some of these same maladies in its own problematic relationship with the United States. A Muslim in Europe who puts a picture of bin Laden on his wall is the equivalent of a European chanting that Bush is Hitler: The Arab does not really wish to destroy the opulent European network that he counts on, nor does the European in jeans with a cell phone truly wish the U.S. would stop protecting his lifestyle. Yet each feels terrible about his own hypocrisy and accompanying appetites for what he professedly hates, and so looks to express angst on the cheap."

[Tyranno]

I recollect a conversation a couple of years back, in a bar in Esslingen, with a drunk German who, realising I was American, started ranting about the "War for Oil!"
I asked why, if he/they are so worried about occupying forces that, nobody in Europe cares about the Chinese occupation of Tibet or the Syrian occupation of Lebanon.
He spat out that "Syria doesn't occupy Lebanon, that is just another American myth to justify their own aggression!"

I guess someone forgot to tell those Lebanese demonstrating in the streets of Beirut.
How "progressive" that as far as Europe is concerned, the Lebanese can wait for their freedom too, like Europe watched the Russians do for a hundred years, like they watched Eastern Europe do for fifty years, like they watched the Iraqis do for thirty years!

But don't worry Lebanon! Sure it may not happen in your lifetime, or in your children's lifetime, but Europe wore those others down, and their "soft power" was working the same "rapid" magic on the criminal hussein regime . . . or it was until those damned Americans butted in . . .
What's another 30 to 40 years for the Iraqis? As long as the Europeans are doing good business . . . they don't feel a thing!

Tyranno

[Pogue]

But to that German drunk Syria was not occupying Lebanon - because viewed through the prism of the German media - this was the reality

Since it was never mentioned in the German media, it didn't exist

So I don't blame the drunk - certainly not for being drunk anyway - for he is simply a product of his environment

That is why the Mediakritik is so important - so the drunks of Germany can at least babble about the facts ; )

[Pogue]

Hey - heres a ship for sale - maybe Germany can buy it and rename it

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7081234/

[PacRim Jim]

I know Germany, and Germany knows dictators.