Whom, exactly, is the Arab League inviting to its headquarters? The Islamists? The SSNP? Or both?
So much for the Syria with an Alawite President, Christian-majority provinces, Christian festivals as public holidays, large numbers of Christian refugees from "liberated" Iraq, and support for a Lebanese Coalition including Maronites and Armenians, among others. (Yes, I am aware that the SSNP is in it. But matters would be very different if that party were running Syria.)
This has the feel of America's and Israel's backing for both of the Ba'athist PMOI/MEK and the Sunni Islamist Jundullah against Iran's more women than men at university, most acclaimed cinema in the world, and reserved parliamentary representation for Jews, Armenians, Assyrians and Zoroastrians.
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In his latest book, read out uncritically for a week on Radio Four, Christopher Hitchens calls the SSNP "Greek Orthodox".
ReplyDeleteRomanticising and idealising the pre-Christian past is a bit too close to home, obviously.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Hitchens is really just the brother of an influential journalist. We shall never know how many votes Peter's column cost Michael Howard in 2005 and David Cameron in 2010. But I am prepared to bet that it was a lot.
Anyway, on topic, please. Including, I suppose, how "Greek" Syrian and Lebanese Orthodox really are. Members of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem increasingly call themselves "Jerusalem Orthodox", doubtless to emphasise their Palestinian identity (on both sides of the Jordan), while the Antiochians certainly do maintain a very separate existence and a very distinct, Arab culture in North America, Australia and elsewhere.
How bad must you have to be to get kicked out of the Arab League?
ReplyDeleteQuite. They have some nerve, I'll give them that.
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