Growing up in Syria in the heydays of the late 70s and early 80s, fears of an Israeli attack were not exactly the thing that was keeping me and my friends up all night, or making us refuse to return certain people’s gaze in the streets.But, then, all talk of resistance and the “national struggle” aside, the Israelis were not exactly the bogeymen which we were raised to fear and dread. Indeed, if there were any bogeymen in our lives, and, of course, there were, they were the dreaded mukhabarat, the country’s security apparatuses, and certain government officials and their children, who indeed had the ability to make you disappear from the living face of earth. Continue reading “Who Is Violating Our Sense of Security?”
Month: July 2006
The Decaying Idols!
An informal poll at Al-Arabiyyah website showed that a little over 23% of the voters, totaling around 50,000, believe that Hezbollah’s activities have had a negative impact on the region. This is a very significant, if not too scientific, indicator. There is indeed a rising current in our midst that is becoming more and more willing to challenge the traditional nationalistic jingoistic consensus. For all their lingering appeal, and despite the emotionally charged moment we are going through, the nationalists and the Islamists are being challenged on their very holy grounds. The idols may not be falling yet, but they are getting chipped and cracked and are beginning to sway and tatter. There might be some for us yet.
معضلة التدخّل الدولي
هل أدى التدخل الدولي عبر العقدين المنصرمين إلى أي تقدم ملحوظ في أفريقيا وآسيا والشرق الأوسط؟
إذا ما أخذنا بعين بالاعتبار أن الطالبان ما يزالوا “يقاومون” في أفغانستان، وأن الوضع في الصومال ما يزال يتجه من سيء إلى أسوأ، وأن قضية كشمير ما تزال عالقة، ودعونا لا نتحدّث عن القضية الفلسطينية والإحباطات التي تسبّبها للجميع، يبدو من الواضح أن التدخّل الدولي يعاني من نقص أو خلل ما.
What should the United States Do?
(I have also posted the article below at my space at Newsvine). The topic for debate this week on the Creative Syria Think Tank is, so far, only Murhaf Joueijati and I have sent contributions, but there should be more to come soon. My contribution is posted below, and can also be accessed here, for those interested in voting.
What should the United States and the other relevant regional powers do to stop the bloodshed in Lebanon. Continue reading “What should the United States Do?”
The Ammar Abdulhamid Archive 