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Egypt: Getting High on Obama

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Egypt, Democratic Party, Breaking News, International Relations

Barack Obama's popularity in Egypt reaches a new high – with the introduction of a narcotic to the market bearing the President-elect's name.

According to Egyptian blogger Hossam el-Hamalawy [1] dealers in the Mediterranean town of Marsa Martrouh are peddling an Obama brand hashish:

A new brand of (presumably black Moroccan) hashish has appeared in the Egyptian town of Marsa Matrouh, called “Obama”! [2]
I recall in in 2003, a quite popular brand of hash that appeared in Cairo was named “Saddam” coz it was “stronger than chemical weapons.”

The news first hit the online world via Twitter, when award-winning blogger Wael Abbas [2] announced it, saying (Ar):

Wael Abbas [3]

In English, the Tweet says:

Urgent – a new type of hashish appears in Marsa Matrouh – Obama

Elijah Zarwan [4], also based in Egypt, further comments:

By the hash-o-meter, Barack Obama may be the most popular foreign leader in Egypt since Saddam Hussein.