Author:Mansoor Alhamed
Palestinian Finance Minister Denies Secret Arafat Accounts, Terrorism Funding
The top finance official on Friday disclosed the Palestinian Authority had more than $600 million in liquid assets but denied the organization had secret funds. Finance Minister Salam Fayad also said the authority had given no money to groups accused by Israel and the United States of terrorism. In an interview with The Associated Press, …
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Syrians Dissatisfied, Survey Shows
A survey conducted in secret because of a ban finds most of more than 1,000 respondents are unhappy with political and economic conditions and want emergency rule to end. A survey of Syrians, conducted in secret because of government prohibitions, shows strong dissatisfaction with prevailing political and economic conditions. Though that may not be a …
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Syrian Rebel Leader Mustafa al-Sheikh Says Victory Against Assad Not in Sight
The head of the Free Syrian Army tells Mike Giglio his forces are divided and underfunded, and a major win that could topple the regime still out of reach. The general leading Syria’s armed rebellion cautioned yesterday that his forces remained dangerously divided and underfunded—and that al Qaeda and other jihadist groups are taking advantage …
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Syrian Poll Finds Optimism for Future, but Little Support for Assad
Syrians have little confidence that President Bashar al-Assad’s regime can solve the country’s current problems, although they are optimistic about the future, a poll conducted by Pepperdine University shows. The survey, which was conducted in conjunction with the Democracy Council of California, also found that eight out of 10 Syrians questioned want al-Assad’s regime to …
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Arab Spring: Revolutions, Lies, and Intervention
In 2011, the United States had its dominance of the Middle East seriously threatened due to massive peaceful protests that were sweeping the Arab world. No longer were people going to put up with corrupt and oppressive regimes that were backed by Washington. No longer would they put up with horrid dictatorships in which the …
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Wikileaks Cables Show us Strategy for Regime Change in Syria as Protesters are Massacred
In the aftermath of a massacre in Hama, Syria state media broadcasted images of “burnt, buildings, makeshift barricades and deserted streets strewn with rubble,” according to the New York Times and claimed the revolt in Syria has ended. Meanwhile, The Guardian reports tens of thousands have taken to the streets all over the country and …
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Historic Opinion Survey Reveals Substantial Public Dissatisfaction in Syria
More than 1,000 participated in secret survey conducted in Syria over three-week period — Pepperdine University today announced major findings of the historic “Syria 2010 Public Opinion Survey” commissioned by the Democracy Council. The 41 page report details analysis of the results from a survey of 1,046 Syrians over a three-week period. “This survey is the first scientific …
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Jim Prince on Iraq poll: the trend to compromise was true for Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds
Iraqi voters seem to have surprised most observers. Maliki didn’t get the expected over 120 seats, Allawi seems to be on equal footing with Maliki, the Shiite coalition did not achieve much, while the two main Kurdish parties lost seats. What happened? Allawi’s strong showing definitely surprised observers who continuously pointed to the political rise …
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Conditioning Aid to Palestinians
The recent peace summit in Annapolis, Md., was more a reflection of the global community’s earnest desire to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than of tangible progress in the peace process. Support for the Palestinian Authority’s request for $5.6 billon at the subsequent Paris donor conference, as well as forthcoming congressional approval of President Bush’s request …
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United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture “Truth & Telling About Torture”
On Saturday, June 26, 2005, the Democracy Council was an organizing member of the United Nations’ International Day in Support of Victims of Torture at Marymount High School in Westwood, California. Entitled “Truth and Truth Telling About Torture,” the program was aimed at raising awareness about torture both at home and abroad, through survivor testimonies, …
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