Map of political freedom in the Middle East

A map of political freedom in the Middle East for dummies: A primer for Guardian readers

January 20, 2011  by Adam Levick   For map, see  http://networkedblogs.com/dge5h

Freedom House recently released its 2010 survey of freedom in the world, and the results are relatively intuitive, unless of course, you’re someone who actually takes the Guardian’s coverage of the Middle East seriously.

Here’s Freedom House’s categories:

A Free country, according to Freedom House, is one where there is broad scope for open political competition, a climate of respect for civil liberties, significant independent civic life, and independent media. (Green: That tiny patch of land next to Egypt, which you can hardly see)

Partly Free countries are characterized by some restrictions on political rights and civil liberties, often in a context of corruption, weak rule of law, ethnic strife, or civil war. (Yellow: Lebanon, Morocco, and Kuwait)

A Not Free country is one where basic political rights are absent, and basic civil liberties are widely and systematically denied. (Lavender: Every other country)

South Sudan's majority votes for independence!

 Through JCRC, our community has conveyed our congratulations to the people of South Sudan, who, through referendum, have voted for independence from Sudan.  //Mark Finkelstein

 

 From: GOANAR CHOL  

 

 Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2011 11:05 AM
Subject: RE: South Sudan's majority votes for independence!

Thank you for the message for Congratulating the People of South Sudan.
 
It is very exciting for us and I personally thank God and all the People who support us to be able to see this day.
 
Khartoum Arabs have treated the People of South Sudan in a way indescribable in human language.  I saw teachers murdered as a child in 1967 and many of us began bearing dead People at 11 years old because the Khartoum Government. 
 
I personally give great appreciation for the People and Government of Israel for the support given to us in 1970s and the People of the United States for supporting the Sudanese in many ways.
 
I would like these realtions to continue and I am aware that Khartoum will turn their brutal attention to Darfur, Jubal En Nuba from which My wife Batul come and other marjinalized areas.
 
Please continue to pray
 
Rev. Goanar J. Chol
 
Sudanese Ministry Resource Person.
 
Presbytery of Des Moines
 
Presbyterian Church USA.
 

---

 

S. Sudan hits majority needed for independence

Bishop Paul blows into a vuvuzela (trumpet) after casting his vote on South Sudanese independence at a polling station in Juba. South Sudan has achieved the majority needed to break away in an independence vote, partial preliminary results collated by AFP show, with many counties still to report.  

 

AFP - South Sudan has achieved the majority needed to break away in an independence vote, partial preliminary results collated by AFP showed on Wednesday, with many counties still to report. 

 
The figures gathered from state and county referendum commission chairmen showed that 2,198,422 votes for independence have already been returned, comfortably exceeding the simple majority of 1.89 million votes needed for secession on the 96 percent turnout of the 3,932,588 registered voters.

What's happening in Tunisia?

http://blogs.jpost.com/content/whats-happening-tunisia

"Tunisia’s population of 10m and reduced risk of Islamic takeover means that the possibility of a new, more progressive government may actually make America’s case for Arab reform easier."

Jewish school, 5 synagogues vandalized in Montreal

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Attacks+synagogues+Jewish+school+condemned/4121888/story.html

Ehud Barak leaves the Labor Party. Labor likely will fracture

Tunisia, earthquake. These are the words used by former senior Labor Party members to describe the party's situation following the resignation of party chairman, Ehud Barak. "The Labor Party is like Tunisia – divided into militias," former minister Moshe Shahal told Ynet.

 

[It is reported that Barak and some of his followers are forming their own party.  Remaining Labor party members might join [centrist party ] Kadima.  Others might gravitate to the Left, joining Meretz.]

Source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4014868,00.html

NYT: Stuxnet - an American-Israeli project to thwart Iran's nuclear program

Iran is a patron of terrorist organizations with a world-wide reach. Stopping Iran's nuclear program is in the highest interest of American national defense. That America has worked with Israel to produce a non-lethal means to neutralize Iran's nuclear program indicates just how closely aligned are U.S. and Israeli national security interests.

Israel Tests on Worm Called Crucial in Iran Nuclear Delay
By WILLIAM J. BROAD, JOHN MARKOFF and DAVID E. SANGER
Published: January 15, 2011   New York Times

"Though American and Israeli officials refuse to talk publicly about what goes on at Dimona, the operations there, as well as related efforts in the United States, are among the newest and strongest clues suggesting that the virus was designed as an American-Israeli project to sabotage the Iranian program."

Source:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/world/middleeast/16stuxnet.html?_r=2&hp

Brookes: Iran's Latin American Incursion (12/16/10)

Iran's Latin Incursion
Published on December 16, 2010 by Peter Brookes

   
Some folks are alleging that Tehran and Caracas have inked a deal that will establish a joint ballistic missile base in Venezuela, where Iranian missiles, potentially capable of reaching the United States, would be stationed.

If true, this would certainly be cause for alarm.

Of course, while we dig deeper into the matter to learn more, we really shouldn’t be surprised by such a move as Iran is already making significant inroads into Latin America — especially Venezuela.

Not only have Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez become close friends, they’ve also fondly talked of a post-America world and declared an “axis of unity” against the United States.

Iran has also looked to Venezuela to help it evade U.N. economic sanctions on its nuclear program in a number of ways, including the establishment of joint venture banks that help Tehran circumvent international financial restrictions.

But the Tehran-Caracas axis actually goes deeper than this. According to press reports, they’ve signed agreements, pledging military support and cooperation, which may include, among other matters, the aforementioned missiles.

For instance, in 2008, Turkish authorities seized more than 20 containers of “tractor parts” bound from Iran to Venezuela. But instead of tractor parts, the containers were carrying materials used in the production of explosives.

Other security ties seem pretty tight, too, including the reported embedding of Iranian “advisers” with the Venezuelan military.

Moreover, a 2010 Pentagon report to Congress on the military power of Iran stated:

    IRGC-QF [Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Forces] maintains operational capabilities around the world. … [R]ecent years have witnessed an increased presence in Latin America, particularly Venezuela.

Especially interesting is how Iranian advisers and agents are likely getting to Venezuela.

As far back as 2007, Iran Air and Conviasa (Venezuela’s national airline) began a regular, co-chaired “commercial” flight linking Tehran, Damascus and Caracas, with occasional stops in Beirut to pick up “passengers.”

That’s not all.

Some are saying Iran and Venezuela are also cooperating on some nuclear issues such as basic research and the mining of uranium ore in Venezuela that is then being made available to Iran — once again in violation of U.N. sanctions.

But it’s not just Venezuela that Iran is courting.

Iran has also enhanced its relations with other elements of the anti-American Latin Left in Nicaragua, Bolivia and Ecuador, which are countries run — not surprisingly — by leaders close to Venezuela.

As a gesture to these new-found friendships, Iran is reportedly providing “diplomatic training” in Tehran to government workers from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador and the Communist Party of El Salvador.

But instead of the art of negotiating, international relations theory and how to work a room at an embassy cocktail party, the Latin visitors are instead being taught intelligence, counterintelligence and crowd control.

But it’s not just Iran that is coming to the region: Its “friends” are, too.

Peter Brookes is a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation.