The official Tunisia.com blog congratulated Mellouli on taking home Tunisia's first gold medal in 40 years:

Congratulations to Oussama Mellouli who dug in when it counted to beat the legendary Grant Hackett over the 1500 meters swim in the games.

In what is a tough event Oussama beat the odds and delivered the first gold for over 40 years!

Algeria.com details Algeria's Olympic history, shares the stats so far, and gives a bit of encouragement:

It is hoped that between the track athletes and the boxers that Algeria will be able to add a few more medals to their collection, and walk away from another successful Olympic Games. Algeria has shown their ability to be worthy competitors and it seems that every year they are growing in strength and diversity.

Morocco's The View from Fez shared the exciting news of Hasna Benhassi's bronze medal, Morocco's first in Beijing, praising the runner for her success:

Benhassi was already among the greatest Moroccan women athletes in history even before her silver medal 800m performances in the Athens Olympics and the World Championships in Helsinki in 2005 and Osaka in 2007. She had won gold at 800m in the 2000 African Championships and at 1500m in the 2001 World Indoor Championships in Lisbon, becoming only the second female Moroccan athlete, after Nezha Bidouane, to win a World Championship title. But she has remained very much in the shadow of her brilliant compatriot, Hicham El Guerrouj.

Although Libya has not yet won a medal, its bloggers have been talking about the Olympics. Anglo-Libyan blogged the opening ceremonies and discussed swimmer Asmahan (Mercedes) Farhat's first race:

Yesterday I watched the swimming heats on BBC but they never showed the 100-meter breaststroke that Asmahan Farhat took part in, the picture on the left is Asmahan getting ready for her swim, she did not do that well although she did manage to break her own record but she enjoyed taking part, you can read her blog entry, it was funny reading how she was dressed in an east Libyan costume by old ladies, to me this is the best and most beautiful Libyan costume.

Farhat, a Libyan-American competing for Libya, wrote a blog post for her local U.S. newspaper about participating in the Olympics, and said this about getting to warm up in the same lane as Michael Phelps:

During warm up I got to swim in his lane. That's right, right next to him and I will honestly say that nothing makes you swim faster than when Michael Phelps is swimming behind you and you don't want to get in his way!

When he swims past you, you can feel the power that he pushes the water with and how smooth he moves in the water. Most swimmers I've swam in a lane with you can feel them fighting the water and the waves are choppy, but when he swims next to you there are barely any forceful waves.

It is unbelievable, it's almost like the waters moving with him. It was the most memorable warm-up swim I've ever swam for sure!

Although bloggers are proud of what their countrymen have accomplished, one blogger feels that Arab countries could do more. Musings of a Proud Arab posted on the eighth Olympic day, frustrated by the lack of Arab medalists. The Jordanian blogger, who lives in the UAE, encourages Arab countries to unite for the gold:

We should not be there just to participate for our national flags to fly within the Olympic Village and in the Parade of Nations. This got me thinking and I want to share a solution with you; have ALL of the 22 Arab countries contribute half of their budgets to a collective consolidated budget that will be used as a Regional Trial to choose the BEST ARAB ATHLETES and train them to bring us gold.There are several reasons for this; 1) the Arab common person is united in their support of Arabs in the Olympics as it reflects on all of us (where we are really united), 2) it allows the countries to still have their symbolic participation in the Olympics (with half their budget), and 3) it will derive the athletes of the poor excuse that I did not perform because I did not have the support, especially financial from my National Olympic Committee.After all, the Arab countries combined have the same population of the United States. And we never hear complaints from them that on there are too many Californians with their Olympic athletes and not a single Alaskan!So, will this be an ideal or can the League of Arab States seriously work on achieving it from 2009? As a corporate person, I would place 12 gold medals as our target for 2012 London Olympics!

Algerian The Moor Next Door has been blogging the story intensively and reports:

Talking to informed Mauritanians, some of them saw the coup coming during the summer (as it did), in the autumn, or not at all. My sense was always that the coup would come this summer (I never wrote this expressly but I expressed this view in discussion and refrained from commenting on the crisis (1) because Western Sahara Info. covered it well and there is not point in competing when you’re one of two or three bloggers paying attention to it, (2) I wanted to make sure that if I “predicted” it I would not be wrong; I could have said, “by the end of May/June/July/August Sidi’s government will be no more” and been wrong; I’m no weather man, and (3) I’ve yet to encounter a Mauritanian that had positive things to say about Sidi beyond his golden personality). One of the major pressures that forced Sidi to act the way he did towards the end was the threat of a commission being formed to investigate the financial side of his wife’s foundation, which would surely have done him in ever more deeply. The commission might even have made his administration’s ridiculous personal expenditures public. For instance, I am told that his air travels alone cost the state some $2 billion, on chartered jets, his family, full entourage, and various other luxuries. He was between a rock and a hard place: Either he would be forced to step down (a la Olmert) in total shame, or he would be impelled to dissolve parliament and reorganize his government, which would precipitate a coup such as today’s, allowing him to save political face. Flanked on both sides, he moved in desperation and met his fate.

Western Sahara Info has been blogging the crisis from its outset, and today provided up-to-the-minute information on the coup, including a brief analysis:

Quick analysis, which I may regret: a tragedy for Mauritanian democracy, on the one hand, but that didn't stand much of a chance anyway; but more importantly, a giant setback for the country's broader chances of political development. While President Abdellahi and his cronies aren't exactly angels, Generals Ghazouani and Abdelaziz represent the very worst military-parasitic element of the Mauritanian regime, and their refusal to let the civilian side of the regime settle down in power threatens to undo it completely in the long run. If the last coup, in August 2005, could be met with cautious understanding by the international community, having unseated President ould Tayaa, and eventually with praise as it led to a real transformation, this time around it is different. What happened in 2005 was that a military-personal-tribal dictatorship was overthrown and the chance arrived to replace it with a civilian semi-authoritarian structure that respected most democratic norms most of the time, and which made sensible moves towards national reconciliation, refugee return and economic development; not heaven, but infinitely better. This change is now being reversed. The putschists — even though they are some of the same people as acted in 2005 — must be condemned and the result of the coup overturned if possible; Mauritania had a golden opportunity to break its vicious circle, and it is now slipping away.

Roads to Iraq, in a post entitled “American orchestrated coup in Mauritania,” reports the news as well:

Things are happening rapidly in Mauritania, started with a coup this morning, issuing the “statement no 1” on the Mauritanian TV, changing the Head of the TV because he refused to cooperate with the army chief who staged the coup, and announcing a new military junta.

In Egypt, Bella [Ar] says what happened in Mauritania proved that Arabs weren't cut for democracy.

يبدو أن الممارسة الديمقراطية لم تُخلق لشعوب مثل شعوبنا لاتستطيع التنفس خارج الحكم العسكري

It seems that democracy wasn't made for people like us - who cannot breathe outside military rule.

After giving us a brief history of Mauritania's young democracy, Bella writes:

وهكذا ياسادة لم تكد موريتانيا تنعم بممارسة الديمقراطية في تجربة رائدة كنا جميعا نغبطها عليها حتى عادت ريما لعادتها القديمة وتدخل العسكر وحدث الانقلاب

This way, Mauritania, which was just about to reap the fruit of democracy in a pioneering move which the entire region was eyeing with excitement, things return to what they were originally, and the military intervened and the coup happened.

Kuwaiti Wild Il Deera poses a few questions about the coup. He asks:

ما هو موقف جامعة الدول العربية من قادة الإنقلاب؟
ألم يكن الرئيس الموريتاني رئيساً منتخباً من الشعب؟
كيف لمؤسسة سياسية مثل الجامعة تطلب أن تُحترم عربيا و دولياً أن تقبل بحدوث إنقلاب عسكري على نظام أحد دولها الأعضاء!

What is the stance of the Arab League from the leaders of this coup?
Wasn't the Mauritanian leader elected by his people?
How can a political group, like the Arab League, which demands that it is respected in Arab and international arenas allow such a military coup to take place in one of its member countries?

Prolific Moroccan blogger Larbi [fr] linked to a news article, remarking:

On peut le dire : l'Afrique est un continent maudit !

His post garnered significant response. Citoyen commented:

Il est vrai que les putschs sont imprévisibles en Afrique…mais je me demande, quand même, si cette fois-ci encore, les services marocains ont été pris de court comme en août 2005 ?

It is true that coups are unpredictable in Africa…I wonder, though, if again, the Moroccan services have been caught short as they were in August 2005?

Finally KABOBfest, always one to inject humor into every situation, remarks somewhat facetiously:

Whereas coup culture in a lot of countries is a thing of the past (e.g., Syria ain't had a coup in a few decades) some countries like to kick it old skool, harking back to when it seemed like there was a coup-a-week somewhere in the world. While Mauritania isn't Fiji, they are keeping the tradition of pointless coups alive and well in the Arab world.

The Arabdemocracy blog also has an excellent “obituary” for the young democracy that was.

Photo above is of Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, by Marcello Casal Jr./Abr (Setember 2007)

Every invited country was represented, with the notable exception of Libya, whose de facto leader Muammar Qaddafi, refused to attend. Libyan blogger Anglo-Libyan expressed frustration:

Yet again the Libyan rulers prove they have no respect for their own people, for many years Libya has been portraying itself to the outside world as Jamahereya, which means something like the nation or land that is ruled by the masses i.e. Libyan people! yet in reality we all know that the country is ruled by one family and its followers.

The blogger explained Libya's absence from the summit and concluded:

Europe might not be perfect but it is for sure a better choice for Libya if life there is to improve for everyone, what can Libya loose from such a union? at the end of the day they can opt out if it is not for them.
I am sure Libyan people are just about sick of all that nonsense they keep hearing about why Libya can not become a part of the developed world.

God bless Libya and its people….

The attendance by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, on the other hand, was a pleasant development for many. On Saturday, al-Assad confirmed that Syria and Lebanon intend to establish embassies in each other's capitals, normalizing relations between the neighbor countries. Syrian blogger sasa explained the significance of this development:

Syria said it would open an embassy in Beirut when a friendly government is formed. That happened yesterday, and so Syria has come good on its promise.

But why does all this matter? When Lebanon was carved out of western Syria, and the two countries gained independence, Syria refused to recognise Lebanon as an independent entity. As Hafez Al-Assad said, one country, two governments. Syria retained its territorial claim on Lebanon until Bashar came into power.

Rime Allaf, referring to the French media's treatment of Syria, remarked:

As usual, not only has the subject been totally ignored by Syrian media, government and embassies (what a shock, I know), but most of them aren't even apparently aware that an anti-Syrian campaign is taking place in France. Isn't it time to put a stop to this, and to give Syria equal rights and equal duties to the others? And isn't it time Syria's position was explained by Syrians, and its image drawn by something other than Lebanese, Israeli or American paintbrushes?

Also from Syria, On Olives & Sake acknowledged the significance of the event but wondered what his country's leader was thinking as he headed to Paris:

On the other hand, as beautiful and elegant our First Gentleman and First Lady look together as they walk down that red carpet, I can’t help wondering whether people like Michel Kilo, Anwar al-Bunni or Aref Dalileh even cross their minds as they smile and shake hands. As they walk triumphantly through the streets of Paris, what kind of a country do they think of, that country that they left behind. What do they think of that? The poverty, the corruption, the pollution, the monopolies, and the stagnant social, educational, political and cultural life. What about Seydnaya?

Nearly as significant as President al-Assad's attendance at the summit was the notable absence of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, who sent his brother, Prince Moulay Rachid in his place. Although the King had a prior engagement, the press speculated that the King's aim was to avoid Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Western Sahara Info. believes that the King's decision not to attend is justifiable:

After considerable coaxing, President Bouteflika of Algeria decided to go, while King Mohammed VI of Morocco sent his brother carrying some lame excuse. Some Moroccans are annoyed, but in all frankness, in this case, the Sarkozy government's slobbering over Bouteflika, contrasted with the shrug that accompanied M6's absence, probably had less to do with any preference for Algeria, or even for its gas/oil millions, than with the fact that Morocco has been cooperative all along, whereas Bouteflika threatened to try and undermine the summit by being absent as a point of principle — therefore, he was needed, while the king could send a representative instead, and no one would mind.

the a la menthe doesn't think the summit will have an effect on Algerian-Moroccan relations:

I hardly think warmer relations between Algeria and Morocco are imminent, particularly in light of the parlous state of the Algerian government, but I guess Sarkozy gets points for trying.

General opinion on the summit seemed to vary, though much of the blogosphere found some fault in it. Some bloggers, including Egyptian ramsesthesecond were less than impressed:

In his speech, Mr Mubarak, seemed very optimistic by the idea of the union, its aims and expected results… indeed his speech would be a dream come true if the things he said were done..
Common Projects, investments, progress, development and even cultural co operation, which is a strange idea from the man who refuses to establish normal relationship with Israel after more than 30 years of peace!

The blogger did acknowledge Sarkozy's role in bringing Syria and Israel into the same room, however:

Indeed it is a big victory for the French president to be the first man to get both Syrian president and Israel's prime minister below one roof for a common idea of development…

Tunisian blogger Stupeur!! Un Nouveau Départ!!! [fr] is displeased with the idea:

Alors bénite soit cette union. Union POUR la méditerranée vous avez dit ? Merci, ne vous unissez pas pour moi ni à mon nom. Je vous aurais pourtant prévenu.

Finally, from Tunisia, blogger Kissa-Online قصة اون لاين [fr] disagrees with the union, making a rather poetic point:

Je ne veux pas de votre union car elle est à sens unique :
Liberté totale pour vos capitaux
Les barques de la mort pour mes frères et sœurs.

Creative Commons-licensed photo by whodisan215