It is Friday here in #outsiders and it is time for the Friday Musical Interlude. Our team has chosen Bob Baldwin as the artist of the week and we hope all enjoy this selection:
8/21/2015
8/19/2015
Notations On our World: On #Iraq & #Syria
This was an image captured in an edition of the Wall Street Journal as the chaos continues to engulf Iraq. What we have found quite interesting is how an Iraqi Parliamentary Committee has found that Nouri Al Maliki and at least 30 other officials were directly responsible for the fall of Mosul which IS/#Daesh continues to hold even today.
As we have been assessing this, it is also of interest to note that Malaki and the current Prime Minister are both members of the Al Dawa which is a Shitte based party that is strongly supported by Iran. It must also be noted that Iran is currently on the frontlines of the fight against IS/#Daesh. It is also of note how the current Prime Minister has made some major decisions on Government reorganization. Such decisions have included the elimination ofthe post of Vice President and a considerable streamlining of the Government in response to nationwide protests. Our team will continue to monitor this major development.
Beyond Iraq is Syria. We here @ #Outsiders join many around the World as we mourn the brutal execution of the head of antiquities in Palyrmia, Khaled al-Asaad. This 82-year Old Scholar dedicated over 50 years of his life to preservi ng the heritage of our World. As we went to press with this latest edition of "Notations", we reviewed reporting by the Guardian of London that he refused to disclose the hidden treasures in that city which led to his execution.
As we mourned this hero, we were also horrifed as we saw this image captured so beautifully by the New York Times on the true face of the misery of Syria :
Laith Majid from Syria, holding his son and daughter, cried for joy after arriving safely in Kos from nearby Bodrum,...
Posted by The New York Times on Tuesday, August 18, 2015
A tough 24 hours yet again.....
8/18/2015
Notations From the Grid: ON #theIranDeal (with Brief late breaking developments)
The debate over the Iran Deal has continued at a fast and furious pace as Members of Congress have been declaring their intentions over the past few weeks. The latest to oppose is Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona who expressed his reservations over the weekend. This is as nuclear experts signed a letter in support of the agreement and as 36 retired high ranking officers came out in support of the deal. This is as MoveOn has spreaheaded a campaign in support of the deal.
The opposition has been hard at work. Our team has seen estimates of upward of $ 40 Million Dollars spent by AIPAC and its' allied organizations trying to scuttle the deal. It is interesting how similar strands of arguments have been made by more conservative elements within #Iran as well. Such organizations have included JINSA, UANI and a number of others. What is clear, though, that it is going to be a struggle to the finish.
One very interesting sentiment on the true reality was expressed by Professor Dabashi of Columbia as the Supreme Leader continues his stance on how there were be no further compromise beyond the nuclear deal:
Change is in the air--and it is evident as Iran is opening up and the World is opening up to Iran. The Economist reminded the World that the Revolution is over--we could not agree more:
As we went to press with this latest edition of "Notations", one leading Republican came out in favor of the deal: Richard Lugar, the Former Senator from Indiana and a long time Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This is as Senator Menendez came out against the deal--as two additional Democratic Senators came out in Support. @POTUS (which is Twitter speak for President Obama) needs 11 more Democrats to hold the line--and as all now, we are "twitter freaks" here @ #Outsiders.
This is ever so a developing story...and fun to comment on.....
The opposition has been hard at work. Our team has seen estimates of upward of $ 40 Million Dollars spent by AIPAC and its' allied organizations trying to scuttle the deal. It is interesting how similar strands of arguments have been made by more conservative elements within #Iran as well. Such organizations have included JINSA, UANI and a number of others. What is clear, though, that it is going to be a struggle to the finish.
One very interesting sentiment on the true reality was expressed by Professor Dabashi of Columbia as the Supreme Leader continues his stance on how there were be no further compromise beyond the nuclear deal:
the Ayatollah protests too much --on every occasion he has he wants to assure himself --more than he does anyone else...
Posted by Hamid Dabashi on Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Change is in the air--and it is evident as Iran is opening up and the World is opening up to Iran. The Economist reminded the World that the Revolution is over--we could not agree more:
As we went to press with this latest edition of "Notations", one leading Republican came out in favor of the deal: Richard Lugar, the Former Senator from Indiana and a long time Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This is as Senator Menendez came out against the deal--as two additional Democratic Senators came out in Support. @POTUS (which is Twitter speak for President Obama) needs 11 more Democrats to hold the line--and as all now, we are "twitter freaks" here @ #Outsiders.
This is ever so a developing story...and fun to comment on.....
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