Please Do Talk to the Moron!

David Lesch, Thomas Friedman, Warren Christopher and Edward Luttwak (who had enough dignity to actually beg), allwantthe US to talk to the Assads of Syria in order to help contain Hezbollah and the threat a conflagration in Lebanon poses to regional stability.

On the other hand, French President, Jacques Chirac, and head of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Martin Indyk, are advising against this course of action, arguing that this will come as a reward to the very people responsible for the current mayhem. Continue reading “Please Do Talk to the Moron!” →

القيد والمعرفة

27 تموز، 2006 / مدونة “أقوال وأفكار”

لا ينبغي لعصر أن يقيّد نفسه ويدبّر ليكون العصر التالي له غير قادر على تنمية معرفته، مهما كانت عرضية، وعلى تطهير نفسه من الأخطاء، وعلى التقدّم في مجال التنوير. بل سيكون هذا جريمة بحقّ الطبيعة الإنسانية التي يبقى توجهها الحقيقي هو إحراز هذا التقدّم، وسيكون رفض الأجيال المنحدرة من ذاك العصر لتلك القيود المعلنة مبرّراً لأنها صيغت بطريقة غير مناسبة بل وشريرة. إيمانويل كانت (1724-1804)، “ما هو التنوير،” (1784) Continue reading “القيد والمعرفة” →

Conflict Watch, July 27, 2006

First posted on my short-lived blog Tharwalizations.

Somalia

Countdown for another regional disaster is currently taking place. Both Ethiopia and the Somali Sharia militias are arming themselves and a showdown seems to be looming. Eritrea is playing its part in an attempted pay back at Ethiopia over their previous entanglements not too long ago. Continue reading “Conflict Watch, July 27, 2006” →

Blogging and the Future of Democracy in the Arab World!

The following is a summary of a talk I recently gave at a State Department conference on Blogging and Democracy. I thought it would e of some interest here.

Many people across the world are still dubious of the possible avenues and channels for communications and expression that blogging can pave. But that is not surprising really. People have given a similar lukewarm response to the Internet itself at one point, not too long ago. But who can dispute the power and impact of the internet now? Continue reading “Blogging and the Future of Democracy in the Arab World!” →