Links March 5-12 2010

Over 60 links after the jump — and I think that will be it for the weekend.

• Defense Budget Resources 2011

  Tons of info about US defense spending.

• State Department Unveils Human Rights Review

  POMED offers a country breakdown.

• Dubai Investigation Exposes Israeli Ops in USA | Dissident Voice

  A round-up of US connections to the Mabhuh murder.

• Israel orders army to seal off West Bank for 48 hours (AFP)
• Exclusive: Hillary to headline AIPAC conference

  More selling out.

• Welcome to Israel, Mr. Vice-President!

  More on Biden in Jlem.

• What Biden told Netanyahu behind closed doors: "This is starting to get dangerous for us"

  Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth today, headline: "Biden: You’re Jeopardizing Regional Peace"

• The Race for the Iraqi Presidency

  Michael Hanna says Kurds in a position of strength.

• Israel’s Challenge to the U.S. - Room for Debate Blog - NYTimes.com

  Good post by M. Dunne and A. Atallah.

• FT.com / Comment / Analysis - US intelligence: Tribal warfare

  On divisioms in US intelligence.

• Only In Egypt: A Six Month Prison Sentence For Wael Abbas In A Fabricated Case on Which He Was Already Acquitted

  Another report on the sentence against Wael Abbas.

• الحكم بحبس المدون وائل عباس 6 أشهر - بوابة الشروق

  Wael Abbas sentenced to six months in prison!?!?

• Incendie à la sûreté de wilaya d’Alger détruit 3.000 dossiers de corruption

  Fire destroys documents on corruption investigations.

• Mideast feels 'tricked' by nuclear arms treaty - Yahoo! News

  Can't blame them when Israel allowed to get away because it didn't sign the NPT.

• Libya may Favor Chinese and Russian Oil Firms over US Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English)

  Qadhafi may see less problematic partners East.

• The Grand Imams of Al-Azhar (Shuyukhul Azhar)

  Timeline of al-Azhar sheikhs.

• FT.com / Iran - Shell halts supplies to Iran

  Another company stops supplying Iran.

• Going after Jordan's Al Capone?

  Corruption crackdown in Amman. But when your king is on the take from the CIA, what do you expect?

• 120 Assiut homes demolished; residents allege police violence | Al-Masry Al-Youm: Today's News from Egypt

  Dispossession of shantytown dwellers.

• Saudi jailed and flogged for gay video

  Scandal over fake police gay video.

• Op-Ed Columnist - Pilgrim Non Grata in Mecca - NYTimes.com

  Stupid, pointless, and badly written.

• Relationships I « The Moor Next Door

  Cool chart on the Algerian regime.

• Libya-Switzerland feud deepens as Gaddafi faces travel ban

  This is actually a quite interesting story, huge business ramifications.

• ElBaradei's week in Egypt | Al-Masry Al-Youm: Today's News from Egypt

  Former FM Ahmed Maher tentatively backs ElBaradei.

• The economics of free expression

  Whitaker on Rupert Murdoch's Arab ambitions.

• Jerusalem: A city that should be shared | The Economist

  Interesting facts and details in this report.

• Iraq At Eye Level | Foreign Policy

  Roundtable chat with leading Western journos in Iraq on the elections.

• Boycott, Divest From, and Sanction Israel?: A Debate on BDS with Omar Barghouti and Rabbi Arthur Waskow

  Democracy Now.

• Israel must talk to Hamas before it's too late - Haaretz

  Indeed.

• Reuters AlertNet - FACTBOX-Who could lead Egypt after President Mubarak?

  They forgot about Safwat — wasn't Abdel Moneim Said talking about that for a while?

• Palestine already exists on film - Le Monde diplomatique - English edition

  On Palestinian cinema.

• Marty Peretz doesn’t trust Arabs, or his readers

  TNR editor does his usual crap.

• Egypt's political stability turning to liability? | World | Reuters

  Succession issue beginning to worry investors.

• Obama's Middle East Democracy Problem - By Barbara Slavin | Foreign Policy

  Barbara Slavin on Obama's Egypt policy: it don't amount to much.

• FT.com / Middle East / Politics & Society - Assassination draws UAE into regional strife

  The impact on Dubai.

• Egypt’s Cyber Battles: An Ambivalent Relationship With The Internet

  Good piece by Sarah Carr.

• Freedoms Committee Supports Calls Against ‘Atheist’ Blogs

  Atheist bloggers under threat, shame on journo syndicate.

• Reflections on Iran’s Foreign Policy: Spiritual Pragmatism

  Essay from Iranian international relations journal.

• Hamas slaying in Dubai ripples worldwide

  A nice wrap-up of major leads on Mabhuh killing so far.

• Pricey real estate deals in Dubai raise questions about Azerbaijan's president - washingtonpost.com

  Dodgy Dubai: Azerbaijan ruling family's real estate business.

• Naji Hamdan's Nightmare

  Lebanese-US citizen tortured in UAE.

• Iran steps up pressure on journalists

  Iran's war against the independent press.

• There has never been an Israeli peace camp - Haaretz

  Gideon Levy: "The Israeli peace camp didn't die. It was never born in the first place."

• Palestinian Sees Lesson Translating an Israeli’s Work - NYTimes.com

  Palestinian translates Amos Oz. Interesting, but does NYT only do positive stories on Pals when they embrace Israeli culture?

• FT.com / Media - Abu Dhabi hopes high for media forum

  Can I get an invite?

• Khomeinism in Iraq

  On the rise?

• Egypt's Sewedy opens 40 mln euro wind plants (Reuters)

  First major green tech factory in Egypt?

• Mubarak Is Fine And He Eats Yogurt

  Oh yes he does.

• Egypt military court releases blogger in army case (Reuters via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News)

  Let go after apologizing.

• Mossad: Might or myth?

  As'ad AbuKhalil.

• Finkelstein in Prague

  Stormin' Norman lectures.

• Malley & Harling on M.E. regional dynamics

  Cobban wishes they'd taken the next step. Two good op-eds for the price of one.

• Pro-Israel bunch to Turkish military: "Do it already!"

  The lobby agitates against Turkey (question: where did they stand on the recent Armenia congressional resolution?)

• Report: Hamas admits losing control in Gaza - Haaretz

  In letter to Meshaal, Gaza leader admits challenges.

• Region wakes up to sustainable potential | Special Report | MEED

  On environmental initiatives in the region, mostly the Gulf.

• Internet Archive: Free Download: Mubarak is Dead مبارك مات

  Very funny song.

• The Moroccan Equations • Talk Morocco

  Very interesting criticism of the king's beloved projects.

• Rose El-Youssef Fined Le 50,000 For Defaming Brotherhood Member

  Good for Gamal Heshmat.

• Au pays des Taâlimets (Instructions)

  The fate of Tunisian activist Tawfik Ben Brick.

• Arab Republic of Egypt—2010 Article IV Consultation Mission, Concluding Statement
• Court orders retrial in Tamim murder case - The National Newspaper

  Mustafa, ya Mustafa...