Lies, delusions, dictators, despots, academic cheats: the Mid-East fibbing elite

A map of the ME plotting falls&survivals, frequently used lies by dictators holding on to power, 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' - allegations of cheating son, Arab poets, &argument tips.

Britain's prestigious university, the LSE, may have validated a ghost-written doctoral thesis by Saif al-Gaddafi

Region in Revolt: A Primer to the Uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East [2]

Forbes Blog [3]

Understanding Today’s Middle East: Dictators v. Despots

Tunisia and Egypt have fallen, Libya is tottering, Jordan, Algeria, and Bahrain are shaking, Iraq is simmering, the Saudis and Moroccans are shivering, Lebanon is Lebanon, Iran and Syria are smiling (nervously), and Western leaders are scratching their heads, unsure what is next. But who will be toppled, shaken, or just stirred, is not pot luck. Despots can survive, dictators will fall argues Daniel Freedman.

KABOBFEST [4]

The Fifteen Lies of Arab Dictators

With Gaddafi on the ropes, and Ben Ali and Mubarak relegated to the history books, we are getting a better sense of the delusions that Arab dictators propagate to justify their authoritarian powers. Usually, the first big lie is something like, “I do not want to be president, I am just doing this for you.” 1. If I go down, Al Qaeda and extremists will take over the country (which is SO MUCH worse than the extreme idiots in power now) ...... 6. My people love me!!!!!!! (like they’d love a plague)

THE EMIRATES ECONOMIST [5]

Concerns grow that Saif Gadaffi did not read the thesis written for him

In light of his behavior and actions now, "concerns are growing that it was ghost written." "The Centre for the Study of Global Governance received £300,000 of the £1.5m donation from Libya the year after he was awarded his PhD." "Charlotte Gerada, general secretary of the LSE's Students' Union, said: "Concerns were widely raised at the time but nothing was done. The LSE must now act to maintain credibility." "

The Moor Next Door [6]

“Boycott”

One of this blogger’s favorite Arab poets is Mutran Khalil Mutran. Mutran was also famous for translating several of Shakespeare’s plays into Arabic He was born in Ottoman Syria but moved to Egypt where he did much of his work. “Boycott” مقاطعة , written in a tone of exceptional defiance, is worth reproducing given recent events. "Displace our best by land and by sea! And kill our free, freedman after freedman [one by one]!"

Jordan Mafia [7]

The art of arguing

This local mafia 'fighter' submits to us his life-gleaned- lessons in good argumentation-- and he invites agreements or disagreements on his Dos and Don'ts. Bring on the controversy!