We should now pause to consider why even a huge chemical massacre, which killed some 1500 in minutes, resulted in the usual general apathy and even aggressiveness from the chattering classes.

Remember the big PR campaign run by the Syrian government on the sad 40th anniversary of the illegal Israeli occupation of the Golan? Neither do I.

I may be in a minority here, but I’m tired of reading “Nouveau Orientalist” articles beginning with sentiments like “I thought Syrians were evil people but they turned out to be welcoming and nice” and ending with deep statements like “things are much more complicated than they look on the surface.” You don’t say.

Either way, it’s the notion of a forced conversion to Christianity that’s shaking mainstream American media to its core.

Time for the annual phenomenon of Ramadan television drama series, and for the phenomenon of reporting on them, as has been the fashion in the past few years.

Only a few days ago, I wrote about the gradual slip of the Golan Heights in the media, from being a Syrian territory invaded and illegally annexed by Israel, to becoming one that was “contentious” …

So you have your land occupied, and you fight a war to get it back, and it’s called an "invasion" (a “joint Arab invasion” to be precise). That’s the 1973 October War for you, an invasion. In contrast, the initial invasion of Arab lands by Israel is called “capture.”

I was surprised to find myself enjoying this piece by Guy Taylor covering Syrians’ search for freedom online in the aftermath of the Damascus Spring.

According to SANA, Syria today "celebrated" the 36th anniversary of the "Correctionist Movement." Hurray.

I really, really hate it when the Syrian regime is given credit for religious tolerance in Syria. As if different sects were busy massacring each other before the Baath or the Assads came to put a stop to it - and as if the massacres would automatically start "again" should the latter depart.

You also learn from gems like Tishreen that "Syria is targetted for specific purposes," which is good to know for those who thought it was just a random thing.

Most of the 12 Danish cartoons are certainly offensive in that they insult the Prophet Muhammad, and in that they imply that Islam is by nature a violent religion. Some are also typically orientalist and incredibly crude …

It occurs to me today that The 25th Hour in fact accurately describes the Syrian regime's conduct; indeed, it only seems to react when it is already too late, beyond the 11th hour.

Many people in the Arab world were engrossed in a frenzy of excitement as the first Superstar program (the local version of Britain’s original Pop Idol, or the US’s American Idol) was coming to an end.

The media, as if Iraqis couldn’t have understood the concept of one person, one vote without the Americans, made the whole coverage of the Iraqi elections a televised version of a See Ali (See Dick).

Abbas has agreed with Sharon that Palestinian media is the real cause of Palestinian violence and that the media (not the actions of the Israeli army) is guilty of incitement against Israel.

Metula News Agency claims the whole incident was a staged production of French television channel France 2, and of its respected Middle East correspondent Charles Enderlin.

Editors of the station’s English-language website have laid down the law: Al Jazeera’s staff is henceforth not allowed to describe US-led military "presence" in Iraq as occupation.

Two bodies had been discovered in Iraq: one of a beheaded man, the other of a woman who had been shot dead.