Lies in Translation: Der Spiegel's Media Interview Attack on President Bashar al-Assad (tags)
Der Spiegel's combative interview with President Bashar al-Assad has received significant worldwide media attention. We published the original text of the interview as translated into English by SANA, the Syrian Arab News Agency. Since then we have received Spiegel's English translation and found some gross differences between the texts. The interview can not only be viewed as an effort to villainize President al-Assad in lock-step with the western media. It also serves an effort to gather intelligence. In the face of the many crass personal insults and dishonesty, disrespectful of a head of state by the Der Spiegel "interviewers," President Bashar al-Assad maintained an impressive amount of self-control with thoughtful, rational replies. His dignity exposed the weaknesses in Der Spiegel's western political positions. The primates who conducted this shameful attack were simply out of their league.
Before it's too late
Lebanese groups issue human rights warnings against Syria (tags)
Three human rights groups issued a joint communique stating that Syrian authorities continue to deny the imprisonment of Lebanese citizens, despite the findings of several international organizations. Now they fear Syria may be hiding mass graves...