Links for June 20-22 2010

Your humble correspondent's efforts at procrastination when facing important deadlines know no bounds, hence the new yellow sidebar. Anyone hate it? Anything you'd like to change in the design of this website? Let me know.

Here come the links:

• U.S. indirectly paying Afghan warlords as part of security contract

  Now there's a good reason to fire McChrystal: "The U.S. military is funding a massive protection racket in Afghanistan"

• UNRWA chief renews call for lifting of Gaza blockade

  Has the right take on the easing of the blockade: ""It is too premature to say."

• Saudi Arabia nails murderer's body to cross

  Crucifixition? Really? #saudisavages

• ei: EU rubber-stamping grants for Israeli war industry

  Why are Israeli firms of any kind even eligible for EU funds?

• Syria's new alliances

  Good piece by Helena Cobban show again how deftly Syria maneuvered Bush's disastrous policies.

• Mike Huckabee on politics, Christianity, Israel : The New Yorker

  Huckabee doesn't believe in a 2-state solution, or even "Palestinians".

• Could water undermine the U.S. game plan in Iraq? -- by Thomas E. Ricks | The Best Defense

  On water shortages in Iraq.

• Alexandria Journal - A Draft of the Past Remains on Tap in Egypt

  NYT's Slackman does a vignette review of one of Alexandria's best bar, Cap d'Or.

• Obama: The "Astonishing Progress" Of Dubai. Once Unbelievably Wealthy, Now Just A Crooked Little Emirate.

  Marty Peretz: "But Arabs are deft at disguising reality." Hahahahahahaha.

• 'Rambo' wannabe had many wacky adventures before trying to whack Osama bin Laden - NYPOST.com

  I love this guy. He's like a character from The Simpsons.

• Egyptian security beat and detain dozens in latest protest against police brutality

  Police beats protestors in demo against police killing...

• MJ Rosenberg: AIPAC Circulates Racist Video ++Plus AIPAC Secret E-Mail

  Oh God Caroline Glick is sick.

• Report: Dubai plans more cameras after Hamas hit (AP)

  CCTV everywhere in UAE.

• Jerusalem plan would raze 22 Palestinian homes (AP)

  More encircling of Jlem.

• How to keep up on the Middle East

  On my friend Sanna Negus' new book about Egypt.