- Two key Arab League players, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah and Jordan's King Abdullah opt out of Monday's Algiers Arab summit. Both sending foreign ministers.
- Middle East sources report summit falling apart over majority refusal to put Jordan king's "Beirut plus" upgrade of 2003 Saudi peace plan on agenda.
- [Hashemite] Monarch accuses Egypt of last-minute reneging on promised backing. Saudi ruler refuses to sit in same room as Libya's Qaddafi, whom he charges plotted his assassination.
Picky, picky, Soddie!
[-- Debkoids off --]
Something I found of interest about north Africa... Moroccan government started about 3 years ago teaching Western Berber dialect and its script (that looks somewhat like Phoenician Linear script, totally unlike arabic--think runes) on an elementary school level.
Tunisia is also emphasizing its Berber and Punic (Carthage) roots, although in somewhat subdued fashion.
Of course, The Master of Fembots, Muammar, declared many times in past few years that Lybians are Berbers and no stinkin'rabs. (I am sure he said it more politely, but that was what he meant).
Looks like some people're starting to think being called 'Arab' is an expletive. |