On Assad's Interview with Barbara Walters

Mind boggling ... Utterly mind boggling ... A detached demeanor pointing if nothing else to a man truly not running the show at all ... or perhaps a man who does not feel cornered pointing, dare I say, to a Farsi retirement strategy ... ?

You are invited to reach your own conclusions. Here's the interview: 
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/newsmakers/abc-exclusive-defiant-assad-denies-ordering-bloody-crackdown-111944523.html

The Arab Intellectual Chasm with the Times

In a recent article in the New York times, Robert Worth questions the role (or lack thereof) that the Arab Intelligentsia have had on the current revolutions transpiring in the region. He writes,

The absence of such figures in the Arab Spring is partly a measure of the pressures Arab intellectuals have lived under in recent decades, trapped between brutal state repression on one side and stifling Islamic orthodoxy on the other. Many were co-opted by their governments (or Persian Gulf oil money) or forced into exile, where they lost touch with the lived reality of their societies. Those who remained have often applauded the revolts of the past year and even marched along with the crowds. But they have not led them, and often appeared stunned and confused by a movement they failed to predict.       

I touched on the very subject from some different angles in an Op Ed article published in 2003, which I invite my readers to review:


Arab Intelligentsia Walks a Tightrope
Wissam S Yafi
As published in:
The Daily Star and Al Jazeera, 5/14/03

Arab intelligentsia, carpe diem! In the runup to the Iraq war, much of the Arab intelligentsia walked a tightrope. While not wanting to be perceived as supporting Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime, they vigorously condemned America. Even before the first bullet had been fired, typewriters banged away in New York, London, and Paris finding America guilty of warmongering, oil robbing, and colonization.

What is ironic is that the intelligentsia is by definition enlightened and hence liberal in its inclination. Recently though, the Arab intelligentsia accidentally found itself in the unorthodox position of defending one of the most repressive regimes in the world against one of the most liberal. How did this twist of fate come about? There were several reasons. With the war almost over, it is important to understand them, for they will affect the development of some of the liberal ideas being propagated.
The first reason for this twist is chronic disenchantment. Arabs over the past several decades have become disillusioned with lack of economic opportunity, political representation, and social stability. Pan Arabism failed. Autocracies failed. Military dictatorships failed. Being at the forefront of some of these movements, it is not surprising that the Arab intelligentsia has turned skeptical. The key questions to be asked here are therefore: Has the intelligentsia become so disenchanted that it will give up at the moment when real liberal reform may finally be emerging? Will they no longer preach for the one social ideal that has yet to be tried in their region ­-democracy- ­ because it was forcefully brought in by America, even if it is closest to their principles?

This brings us to the second reason: Arab pride. After centuries of military defeat and humiliation by external powers, some Arabs perceive their pride to be all that remains and obstinately take counterintuitive positions and ones in apparent self-disinterest- Palestinian suicide bombings of Israeli civilians as opposed to Israeli military targets being a case in point. While pride is good, unbridled pride risks blindness and perhaps even ridicule, such as met the declarations of Sahaf, the Iraqi information minister. While for it to occur within a very closed and isolated Baathist Iraq may be understandable, for it to also occur to Arab thinkers living in much less repressive environments points to a more serious problem. There comes a time when humility, national interest and the desire to learn from mistakes must be made more expedient than pride. Germany and Japan after World War II are good examples to learn from, having risen from humiliation by sheer hard work, intelligence; and yes why not, a bit of national pride.
The third reason for the Arab intelligentsia’s apparent misalignment may be their misunderstanding of the Arab street. While it may be easy to blame the intelligentsia, in reality does anyone in the Arab world truly know what the Arab street wants? Everybody was saying that Iraqis loved Saddam Hussein until the images of them trampling on his fallen statue’s head emerged. While some may point to polls, what is it exactly that these polls are measured against when little if any institutionalized opposition exists to come up with alternative ideas; when political process for the most part is imaginary, generating chronic apathy; and when clientelism reigns supreme? Could it be that all the Arab street wants is practical solutions and­ freedom to think and work, perhaps?

The fourth reason is simply geopolitical miscalculation. Pre-Sept. 11, 2001 Cold War intrigue was overutilized, post-Sept. 11, 2001 realities ignored, American intentions and interests misunderstood, and Iraqi power and regime allegiance overestimated. Nevertheless, it was surprising to see some renowned expatriate Arab thinkers sticking to over-simplistic and outdated conspiracy theories when indications pointed to fundamental shifts in US policy toward the region.

With all this said, what does it all mean to the future of the region? Essentially, it means one of two scenarios. One is that the Arab intelligentsia puts the past behind it, sets pride aside, and searches for a flicker within itself to light a torch that carries a liberal message. Another scenario is that it could bury itself under a heap of past disappointments, emerging only to regain what little pride it perceives still remains through futile and unconstructive attacks on any reform initiative coming to the region.

Recently, many typewriters have fallen silent. My hope is that it is a sign of introspection and not surrender, because a difference can yet be made. Arab intelligentsia, Carpe diem!

Is Might Always Right? Apparently Not ...

A fascinating article on the consequential implications of this apparently inconsequential UNESCO Palestinian vote on the US and tech companies of all people ... It seems the US has put itself in quite a bind with some commentators questioning whether the US is ready to "boot itself out" of some of the world's most important governing bodies including the UN, WHO, WIPO ... etc. Idiotic by the US t...o get itself in this bind and will be interesting to see how it gets itself out of it. Here's a quick solution: Forget about the whole issue and move on ... The Palestinians seem to have outwitted the US for a change or as a Reuters reporter termed it "Now has the US over a barrel". So, it seems might is not always right after all ...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/67217.html

Palestinians get Unesco seat as 107 vote in favour

Great news as reported by the BBC:
Article referenced on: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15518173.


The UN cultural organisation has voted strongly in favour of membership for the Palestinians - a move opposed by Israel and the United States.

Of 173 countries voting, 107 were in favour, 14 opposed and 52 abstained.

Under US law, Washington can now withdraw funding to Unesco. This would deprive the agency of some $70m (£43.7m) - more than 20% of its budget.

The UN Security Council will vote next month on whether to grant the Palestinians full UN membership.

Membership of Unesco - perhaps best known for its World Heritage Sites - may seem a strange step towards statehood, says the BBC's Jon Donnison, in Ramallah, but Palestinian leaders see it as part of a broader push to get international recognition and put pressure on Israel.

This is the first UN agency the Palestinians have sought to join since submitting their bid for recognition to the Security Council in September.

"This vote will erase a tiny part of the injustice done to the Palestinian people," Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told the Unesco meeting in Paris, after the result was announced.

Widespread applause greeted the result of Monday's vote in the chamber, where a two-thirds majority is enough to pass the decision and no country has the right of veto.

The BBC's David Chazan in Paris says Arab states were instrumental in getting the vote passed despite intense opposition from the US. He says that in an emotional session, China, Russia, India, Brazil and South Africa voted in favour of Palestinian membership, while the US, Canada and Germany voted against and the UK abstained.
'No shortcuts'
The outcome was swiftly denounced by the US and Israel.

US ambassador to Unesco David Killion called the move "premature" and "counterproductive", and said it could affect relations.

"We recognise that this action today will complicate our ability to support Unesco's programmes," he told journalists.

"The only path to the Palestinian state that we all seek is through direct negotiations. There are no shortcuts."

A US law passed in the 1990s allows Washington to cut funding to any UN body that admits Palestine as a full member.

The US currently funds more than 20% of Unesco's entire budget.

An Israeli foreign ministry statement called the vote a "unilateral Palestinian manoeuvre which will bring no change on the ground but further removes the possibility for a peace agreement".

"The Palestinian move at Unesco, as with similar such steps with other UN bodies, is tantamount to a rejection of the international community's efforts to advance the peace process," it said.

The statement added that Israel would be considering further steps regarding its co-operation with Unesco.

Correspondents say Monday's vote is a symbolic breakthrough but that on its own it will not create a Palestinian state.

A vote is expected in November at the UN Security Council on granting full membership of the UN to the Palestinians. The US has said it will exercise its veto.

Gadhafi's Inevitable Fate

Another Arab dictator bites the dust... Of course some say Gadhafi had a choice between "walking away" with Billions or "dying"... Did he really? I tend to think not. He chose the latter not because he was an irrational idiot (although he appeared to be one at times), nor because of a supreme belief in a cause (there was none); and certainly not because of any suicidal wish (for himself and members of his family).

Rather, it seems to have been a rational decision because deep down he knew that the day he would step out of power- no matter how much money he had- would be the day his 42 years' worth of atrocities would catch up with him. His rational choice simply tried to postpone the inevitable to the last minute ... his dying words reportedly were "Don't shoot" ... They did shoot to kill as he had done to thousands before him.

His inevitable fate had finally caught up with him.

For more info on Gadhafi's death, access this report: http://news.yahoo.com/gadhafi-libyas-leader-42-years-killed-143212662.html

Open Letter Against Bigotry in Virginia

While I may not be a resident of the 87th Virginia district, I am writing this letter because of the indignation I feel towards the treatment that Virginia delegate candidate David Ramadan has been receiving from some of his political opponents in that district. As a fellow Virginian concerned about the overall wellbeing of this great Commonwealth, I have been utterly shocked by the bigotry being hurled at David- some of it by members of his own party- targeting his background and his religious beliefs.

So let’s get straight into it. Is David a Lebanese American? Yes, he was born in Lebanon, and has been a naturalized American for almost two decades. Is he of the Muslim faith? Yes, he is a Muslim, but in all of the 30 years I have known him, he has never shown religious extremism nor zeal. Does he have a hidden Islamic Shari’a Law agenda? Of course not; had he any particular religious design on the Commonwealth, one would think he would start closer to home. And yet he is happily married to Christie, who continues to practice her Christian beliefs a decade into their marriage. And the list of ridiculously bigoted suggestions goes on …

As a fellow American and Virginian from a Lebanese background, I am the first to admit that I am not in agreement with many of David’s deeply conservative political ideas. As a result, I respectfully declined to participate in his campaign notwithstanding our close friendship. But in this, I made a cognizant political choice not one based on the candidate’s origin nor his faith- both of which we actually share. And yet while we may be politically polar opposites, I have no doubt whatsoever of his love and loyalty to this country. What qualifies me to say this? Aside from knowing him for almost three decades, I was literally there at the airport to pick him up in 1989 upon his first arrival to this country. Proud and happy, he looked forward to a new beginning in the land of opportunity. In the ensuing years, he would prove it. David worked hard in business while finishing his education. He proved to be a family man, helping bring his brothers to share his American dream. He even found time to get involved in extra-curricular political campaigns and would become a dedicated republican and supporter of a conservative agenda, organizing several events. A memorable occasion was one in which he helped bring to light the ordeal of kidnapped Americans released in his native Lebanon. David eventually gave back to the community, lecturing at his alma mater, George Mason University, providing students different points of view on politics and the conflict in the Middle East. Throughout, his support for the US was unwavering- even when it put him squarely at odds with many others in the Arab American community- me included.

As diverging as our politics may be, in all fairness, neither I nor any fellow Virginian should oppose David’s campaign for some bigoted charges about his background and certainly not his religious affiliation. Anyone who does so implicitly threatens our constitution much more than what is being falsely alleged David’s candidacy does. I am reminded by Virginia’s Statute for Religious Freedom, written by one of its greatest sons, Thomas Jefferson:

"... no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."

 

If some may disagree with David Ramadan, then let it be over his politics not where he comes from or his religious beliefs. It is not the Virginian or American way; and I must say David Ramadan has earned both of these colors as much as the next guy.

An Interesting Viewpoint of Syrians Toward Steve Jobs

As the Syrian crackdown continues and reaches almost 3000 victims, the death of Apple's Steve Jobs, whose biological father is a Syrian from Homs, caused a stir and an interesting reaction. Here's a Reuters article:


http://news.yahoo.com/arabs-embrace-steve-jobs-syrian-connection-125707077.html