baithak World Jun 08: Syria-Iran perspective,Huffpollstrology, News & Views, RealNews, Cartoons

Syrian-Iranian relations didn't start with the Khomeini revolution of 1979. Relations between the two countries started to move forward nearly 35 years ago, when Shah Mohamed Reza Pahlavi was still in power. Not long after Hafez Al-Assad came to power, he visited Tehran in 1973. The visit raised eyebrows across the region, for Syria was supposed to be a leftist country, an enemy to imperialism and a friend of the Soviet Union, while Iran was seen as a friend of the US and an enemy of communism and socialism. Furthermore, the shah wasn't exactly a popular figure in the Arab world. He had occupied three UAE islands and at one point assisted the sultan of Oman in quashing leftist rebels. Al-Assad's visit to Tehran was frowned upon by Arab progressive (and not so progressive) parties, and was considered controversial to say the least, but it had a point How strong is their alliance?

News & Views

Huffpollstrology: Candidates' Horoscopes, Polls And More For June 8

The alternate lobby

Where now for Islamists?

Laura Ingraham: Right-Wing Radio's High Priestess of Hate
Daniel Pipes: Hagee Is A Patriot, Not An Extremist

An award for the voiceless in Gaza

Hillary Clinton's 5 Mistakes

Greg Mitchell: What I Said About Iraq and the Media on Bill Moyers' Show Last Night

Fear, disillusion and despair in Afghanistan: notes from a divided land

Yasmina Reza and Sarkozy: The real man, the "love handles"

David Gates on Enchantress: A World of Marvels

David Rieff on Naipaul’s Compass

Hari Kunzru: Outside Ethnicity

On David Sedaris: What You Read Is What He Is, Sort Of
Clinton's Female Voting Bloc Becomes Key To Election Victory
Clinton Concession Speech: Read Transcript
George F Wills:Books on Opinion Journalism

Doonesbury@SLATE

Paul Jay presents RealNews

Iraqi MPs against US bases Iraqi MPs say if bases are in the security agreement; most Iraqis will reject it view

Iranian influence is a fact, negotiations a must Powell's former Chief of Staff Wilkerson: War with Iran would reinforce strategic failure in Gulf (2/3) view

Has Obama moved to the right? (2 of 2) At the AIPAC conference Barack Obama shows that on foreign policy he has moved closer to McCain and Bush view

Comic for June 7, 2008