If there was ever ONE singular reporter/journo/writer/chronicler that’s just all OVER it regarding international affairs, it has to be Pepe Escobar.

Dude’s a hoss, a monster, a truth teller. How he’s still alive and NOT been hit by any NUMBER of special interests including Israel, US, Russia, China, is beyond me. Other’s have been snuffed out for much less than he continues to report.

I have to single out his recent piece on the ME/NorthAfcica (MENA) as one of the best overall looks at the region ever produced. It’s a primer, it’s a bookmark, it’s a resource.

But what really struck me reading it was, I KNOW them terms, I KNOW those distinctions, I KNOW of some of the tribal affiliations he speaks of, and the one’s I don’t, I know the patterns of tribal affiliations, I know a TAD of the history of it all, of Muslim origin, splits and such.

And I ONLY know because I care to read, learn and be informed, all my life.

And I only know a LOT of these things over the past decade and a half or so, because I frequent FDL.

And from LibbyGate on (when I first found it), FDL has continually, one way or another, covered with INCREDIBLE detail, both domestic and international affairs of all sorts.

So kudos to Mz. Hamsher, Emptywheel in the earlier days, David Dayen and Jon Walker more recently, Kevin G and the newbies in the past couple of years.

But to close, on Pepe Escobar, and his article, man it don’t mean much if ya don’t know Salifi from Sufi, Shia from Sunni, the history of American foreign affairs, and much much more.

THis being informed shit’s HARD! N that’s why, I’ve decided to rouse my butt, get off the schtick and post a lot of FDL and Antiwar and Asia Times Online, and other stuff, to my FB page.

It might, just MIGHT, make SOMEONE, a so called liberal, become curious as to why THEY don’t know this shit . . . and if in my time, I DO help ANYone think about it all, learn more, by just merely clickin some keys and sharing what I get from you PRODUCERS of such essential info, then I feel I’ve done good.

Pepe’sPrimer, ‘Brother Obama, Where Art Thou.’

Some new news from Egypt labor, they are increasingly in the streets of Egypt!

Hate to link to HuffPo, but this is huge . . . in a growing discontent with the status quo way, from The Egyptian People!

Labor Discontent Escalates In Egypt.

GIven history’s lessons, this could be the ferment and forment for Suleiman to impose ugly retributions . . . martial law, military force, thousands dead.

Or, maybe this shit’s really out of hand and the masses WILL trump the fascist elites.
History sez the masses sometimes win, too.

Here’s hoping for the masses.

I guess I’ll go out on a limb and say, that if Suleiman and USA are seen to repress with prejudice, that not only will Egypt erupt in flames, but so might other countries, and well, who KNOWS what impact any of that will have on the American Masses . . .

Just when I thought it was settling down and gonna be a loss for the masses, them Egyptians bust out and raise the ante the past two days.

Wow. What heart and soul from them all.

*blessem*

Hat Tip To Wendy Davis, For Her Thread That Moved Me To Post My Diary.

Also, below, some links to really good stuff I’ve not seen at The Lake yet (other than Engelhardt, that is, which MyFDL featured bless their heart, and referenes/links to Juan Cole). I’ve been holding back on sharing other sources but there’s just so much good stuff out there the past week I felt compelled to bring some highlights to light and share it with Pups one and all.

Pox Americana, Engelhardt.

Featured at MyFDL but with few comments, so if ya didn’t read this, ya should.

Pepe Escobar writes for Asia Times Online and is featured in many sites including Raimondo’s AW Dot Com, if you don’t read Pepe, you should be.

Best Of Escobar, At Asia Times Online.

N keep reading Juan Cole, Gareth Porter, Ivan Eland, Philip Giraldi, Scott Hortton, Dahr Jamail, Jeff Huber and any others listed at AW Dot Com or AT Online.

N if you’ve never HEARD of those guys, or sites, it’s time ya did some homework.

Now go read. It’s essential to do so.

N keep reading FDL/MyFDL, for yer first sourcing!

*G*