Politblogme's Tumblr

MGIMO; Columinst at @AlArabiya_Eng; CEO of IMESClub & MEPFoundation (find it on Tublr, btw); Russian/US/French interests/policy in the MENA; Mediterranean; MidEast; Russian FP, etc. You can follow me on twitter: @politblogme

[mepfoundation]

Jordan through the lens of the great photographer Sergei Shandin, AirPano’s ground crew.

[warag-3nb]

هذه قاعدة: نحن نتعب فى البحث عن الراحة.. و نشقى فى البحث عن السعادة.. و نفلس وراء الفلوس.. و نولد و نموت و ننسى أن نعيش..

- انيس منصور.

Translation : This is a rule: we exhaust ourselves looking for rest.. We make ourselves miserable looking for happiness .. We become broke because of money .. We are born and we die and we forget to live.

[warag-3nb]

What is خلك يا قلبي مثل كسرة العود .. كل ما احترق بالنار زاد طيبه

It’s my favorite arabic quote .. not sure who wrote it .. but It means :

Heart be like a piece of incense .. the more it burns the more fragrant it becomes .. 

It’s a reminder that no matter what hardships you go through .. you should always try to be a better person .. 

[politblogme]

#quote from Revolution 2.0 by @WaelGhonim. (Initially about Mubarak times…and it seems now that about Sisi times either…) “The Egyptian regime lived in fear of opposition. It sought to project a façade of democracy, giving the impression that Egypt was advancing toward political rights and civil liberties while it vanquished any dissidents who threatened to mobilize enough support to force real change.” from “Revolution 2.0: The Power of the People Is Greater Than the People in Power: A Memoir” by Wael Ghonim

[politblogme]

[dailyclassicalmusic]

Visit Original Link

Composer: Composer: Pietro Antonio Locatelli (1695 - 1764)

Work: Largo Andante from Concerto Grosso in E-flat “Il Pianto d'Arianna” (1741)

Performer: Il Giardino Armonico; conducted by Giovanni Antonini

[politblogme]

Brilliant

[forgottenegypt]

Young women hanging out at Sidi Bishr beach in 1959. Source: Foreign Policy

[politblogme]

My take on the visit of the French MPs to Crimea

A totally French restaurant in the heart of Moscow. Cameras, journalists, more than 120 people, French snacks and wine on the restaurant’s bill. Laughter. The clinking of glasses. Only the French language is heard. It was in these surroundings that a delegation of 10 French MPs returning from Crimea held their most recent press conference.

The visit made much noise in international media. “Courageous,” “promising,” “important” were words used to describe the visit on one side, while the other side branded it “illegal,” “breaking international law,” “forbidden,” “provocative,” “shameful.” This visit took place despite pressure coming from the top of the French government. The MPs ignored all the threats, all the requests to cancel the trip, demonstrating enough courage, a love for freedom and an enviable French stubbornness towards insubordination.

[politblogme]

Question

What would you do in the first place, if you were the US President?

[politblogme]

#AnecdoteHistorique

« Un homme vint un jour voir Socrate pour lui demander : sais-tu ce que je viens d’apprendre à propos d’un ami à toi ? - Un instant, répondit Socrate. Avant que tu ne contes cela, j’aimerais te soumettre à un test rapide. Ce que tu veux me dire, est-ce que tu l’as fait passer par les trois passoires ? - Les trois passoires ? - Oui, reprit Socrate. Avant de raconter des choses sur les autres, il est bon prendre le temps de filtrer ce que l’on voudrait dire. Tel est ce que j’appelle le « test des trois passoires ». La première d’entre elles est celle de la vérité. As-tu vérifié si ce que tu veux me raconter est vrai ? - Non, pas vraiment, je n’ai pas vu la chose de mes yeux. Je l’ai juste entendue dire. - Très bien ! Alors tu ne sais pas s’il s’agit de la vérité ! Essayons maintenant une deuxième passoire, celle de la bonté. Ce que tu veux m’apprendre sur mon ami, est-ce quelque chose de bien ? - Non, au contraire ! J’ai entendu dire qu’il avait mal agi. - Ainsi donc, poursuit Socrate, tu voudrais me raconter de mauvaises choses à son propos alors que tu n’es même pas certain qu’elles soient vraies ! Toutefois, tu peux encore passer le test, car il reste une passoire : celle de l’utilité. Est-il utile que tu m’apprennes ce que mon ami aurait fait ? - Non, pas vraiment, je ne pense pas que cela soit utile. - Alors, conclut Socrate, si ce que tu as à me raconter n’est ni vrai, ni bien, ni utile, à quoi bon vouloir me le dire ? Je ne veux rien savoir et de ton côté, tu ferais mieux d’oublier tout cela ! »

[politblogme]

For some the 14 July is a Bastille Day. For Iranians it’s a National Nuclear Deal Day. That’s how Tehran has been celebrating the historical breakthrough. 

[politblogme]

My new piece for Al Arabiya English. This time on the migration flows in the Mediterranean.

Several bonus ideas:

- The current migration flow in the Mediterranean will rise. Because it's easier to reach the heart of Europe crossing the Mediterranean Sea, than through numerous well-protected boundaries. - The growing racism and xenophobia that gather momentum now in political establishment all over the Europe paralyze the correct decision-making process on the uncontrolled immigration. However these feelings grow also due to the mistakes committed in the sphere in the past. Thus the vicious circle encloses as the mistakes in policies and their consequences and the consequences’ influence on policies are always over-linked. - ISIS threat through migration flows infiltration is very concrete. And what is more : the theft of roughly 200 detonators plus grenades and plastic explosives from a military site in southern France (near Marseille - also suffering a lot from migration flows) – will remind you very soon about itself with something very bloody.

[politblogme]

#IranNukeDeal

For some this deal is a great success. For others it's a total nightmare. The one thing is clear: the world will never be the same. Life and international system regulation won't become easier. The resolution of the #IranianNukeDeal problem engenders a whole pack of huge, unpredictable and hardly manageable challenges for the region and thus for the whole world and global stability. Many depends on the upcoming two months, as they will show the track of the situation development for the years. I expect : - calling of the extraordinary OPEC meeting in a month or two, as Iran will critically drop the price on oil. - dramatic deepening of the internal economic crisis in Russia - further aggravation of the Russia-West relations - aggravation of the regional climate (however this can be avoided in case of self-restraint of all the sides and more rational than emotional approach towards each other).

[3la-almashy]

[moonloveur]

This initiative gave me chills. Bravo!

[humanoidhistory]

Ancient Petra in Jordan, March 8, 1839, illustrated by David Roberts.

(Library of Congress)

[politblogme]

Russia’s recently declared decision to lift the embargo on S-300 deliveries to Iran has a particular meaning and puts Moscow in the face of hard decisions to be made.

My recent column.