From the category archives:

Muhammad Idrees Ahmad

Why doesn’t Harman story have better legs?

by Philip Weiss on April 27, 2009 · 28 comments

Muhammad Idrees Ahmad writes:

The Harman case appears to be the lobby's most significant encounter with US law enforcement since its battles with the Department of Justice over Foreign Agent Registration Act registration under the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations. And yet, have you noticed that the Left is once again AWOL on this? There has been nothing beyond a brief mention on Democracy Now. Nothing at all on Counterpunch. ZNet I gave up on a long time ago. The mainstream has fared far better this time. But the only places (excepting Mondo) that have recognized the significance of this issue and have provided sustained coverage are CQ itself, the libertarian Antiwar.com and Col. Pat Lang's blog (David Corn has also done several superb follow up posts). Steve Walt, Glen Greenwald and Juan Cole have also done some excellent posts but have since moved on. People then wonder why the lobby always wins. It appears obvious: there isn't anyone (with the aforementioned exceptions) who is holding its feet to the fire.

Oh, also: Marilyn Neimark and Josh Nathan-Kazis covered it on WBAI show, Beyond the Pale.

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Obama’s not Iranian, but–

by Philip Weiss on March 20, 2009 · 6 comments

A lot of people are directing our attention to Rupert Murdoch's speech to the American Jewish Committee, "I'm not Jewish but–" Muhammad Idrees Ahmad writes:

Here is the transcript of Murdoch's speech to the AJC. I found the following lines interesting:

Tonight I say to you: Maybe we should start wondering whether we in Europe and the United States can survive if we allow the terrorists to succeed in Israel.
[...]
And if we are serious about meeting this challenge, we would expand the only military alliance committed to the defense of the West to include those on the front lines of this war. That means bringing countries such as Israel into NATO
[...]
The free world makes a terrible mistake if we deceive ourselves into thinking this is not our fight.

And what is the response to this saber-rattling. Note Idrees Ahmad's interpretation of Obama's important Nowruz (new year's) message to the Iranians: it's a bombshell for the Israel lobby.

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‘Slumdog’ and the ravages of neoliberalism

by Philip Weiss2 March 2009

My friend Muhammad Idrees Ahmad has picked up Arundhati Roy’s harsh review of Slumdog which she dismisses as poverty porn. I’m not with her. This is not a political film. It’s a romance about destiny. And the dignity it has…

12 comments

Occupation at Scotland university ends school’s relationship with Israeli company

by Philip Weiss6 February 2009

A student occupation at Strathclyde University in Scotland produced an agreement by Strathclyde to bring in 1-3 Palestinian students and not to renew a contract with an Israeli water company that supplies water to the school. An occupation at Manchester…

8 comments

Chomsky ally differs sharply with him over Israel lobby

by Philip Weiss30 January 2009

Muhammad Idrees Ahmad writes: Here is another former ally breaking with Chomsky over the lobby. M. Shahid Alam, a frequent target of the lobby (and Campus watch), has been described by Chomsky as one of the best development economists (and…

8 comments

Israel’s ally: Turkish Prime Minister walks out on Shimon Peres at Davos

by Philip Weiss29 January 2009

AC writes: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan walks off the stage at the World Economic Forum after challenging Shimon Peres on the war on Gaza (forward to about 1:01:00). Erdogan cites the Sixth Commandment, Avi Shlaim of Oxford University,…

20 comments

‘In the name of humanity!’ Israeli atrocities are pummeled on British television

by Philip Weiss13 January 2009

Where are the American reporters who exposed Abu Ghraib? Why is Israel untouchable still in the U.S.? Muhammad Idrees Ahmad writes: Here are a few more antidotes to US media. The interview with Mark Regev towards the end of the…

6 comments

Nader Talks About Israel Lobby Implicitly, Chomsky Doesn’t

by Philip Weiss25 November 2008

Ralph Nader is emerging as a leading critic of the Israel lobby. Here in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, calling for the reinstatement of Jimmy Carter in the Democratic pantheon in the face of pro-Israel pressure: A sign that [Obama] is determined…

10 comments

Peretz Says, Blacks’ Problem Is They’re Not More Like Jews (and Some Are ‘Parasites’)

by Philip Weiss15 October 2008

“Am I too sensitive or is this post by Martin Peretz just racist?” asks Muhammad Idrees Ahmad. No Idrees, you’re not too sensitive. The post responds to Jesse Jackson’s reported statements about Zionist control of U.S. foreign policy in Israel/Palestine….

5 comments

‘In Peshawar, Taliban Country, All 4 of My Sisters Got Master’s Degrees’

by Philip Weiss25 September 2008

Muhammad Idrees Ahmad writes: I must take issue with your generalizations about women’s place in Islamic societies. First of all, it rings a little hollow coming from the citizen of a country where a woman’s mere running for high office…

4 comments

The Hijab and Colonial Feminism

by Philip Weiss12 September 2008

Idrees Ahmad responds re my post on The National’s coverage of the Syrian fundamentalist movement: I don’t quite understand why a Gulf newspaper criticizing Syria surprises you? Gulf states have long been hostile towards Syria, and this newspaper, frankly a…

1 comment