The Dominos are falling!

Revolution is marching across the Middle East and the remaining dictators are quacking in their boots.  

When Egypt’s youth followed the example of  Tunisia’s peaceful overthrow of  its corrupt government, the world watched in awe as the ground shook for eighteen days until Hosnei Mubarak was forced to stepped down.   And now that the people of Egypt are engaged in the difficult task of bringing the right reforms to their government, the ground is starting to shake in neighbouring Algeria, in Bahrain, in Yemen, in Libya, and yes also in Iran. 

So the question is what will happen now?  Are we watching the inevitable collapse of all the repressive regimes in the Middle East as we did when the people of Eastern Europe demanded their freedom not so long ago?  And if yes, what will take their place?  

Among the many opinions and analyses that are being offered about the transformation that is underway in the Middle East, I find the insights of Ahmet Davutoglu most convincing.  As Turkey’s foreign minister he is a credible witness to the struggle for a more democratic Middle East.   I’d like to share an in-depth interview with him in which he discusses how the Middle East can successfully combine democracy and Islam. 

Ahmet Davutoglu – Talk to Al Jazeera – Al Jazeera English.

Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

“The Swan Song of the Islamic Republic” by Bernard-Henri Livy

Bernard-Henry Levy, one of my favorite contemporary philosophers, posted this blog on the Huffington Post on June 22, 2009.  I am giving you excerpts of his blog in the hope that you will read the entire post on Huffington.

 I added pictures that were taken at a demonstration in Zurich by Christian Hartmann, Reuters. 

Demonstration in Zurich, June 24 2009, Reuters/Christian Hartmann

Whatever happens from this point on, nothing will ever be the same in Tehran.

Whatever happens,if the protest gains momentum or loses steam, if it ends up prevailing or if the regime secceeds in terrorizing it, he who should now be called President-Non-Elect Ahmadinejad will only be an ersatz, illegitemate, weakened president….

Whatever happens, young people, who were believed to be enthralled by the principles of political islam and who a month ago, upon Ahmadinejad’s return from Geneva, had supposedly planned a triumphal reception for the president-non-elect, will have said, loud and proud, with an audacity matched only by their political intelligence, that the president shamed them….

Whatever happens, a body politic has been formed in the heat of peaceful protests-and even if it gets winded and loses steam, even if the murderers think they can declare victory, there is a new actor onstage, without whom the rest of the country’s story will not be written. Whatever happens, the beautiful face of Neda Soltan, killed at point-blank range last Saturday by a Bassidj henchman, the images of kids beaten to death by the attack squadron and motorcycle infantyr of the guardians of the revolution, the videos of the enormous protests, impressively calm and dignified, will have, via twitter, circled both the cyberplanet and the planet….

We always forget taht other revolution–the first… Lasted almost a year:  Why would it be any different for this revolution, a democratinc one concerned with what is right, which has just taken the stage?  The earth quakes in Tehran, and it is only, I’m willing to bet, the beginning. 

Bernard-Henri Levy, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bernardhenri-livy/

Reuters/Christian Hartmann

 

People gather for a candlelight vigil to honor the victims of recent violence in Iran. June 25, 2009 - Berlin/Getty

Read Full Post »

“Requiem for Neda Agha Soltan”

NEDA

YOUR DEATH COMES

TO ME ON THE INTERNET.

YOUR EYES COMPLETE

THE ARC TOWARD DEATH

AS THE MEN LOWER

YOU TO THE PAVEMENT

ON THE STREETS OF TEHRAN.

YOUR FATHER CALLS TO YOU

WHILE ANOTHER TELLS YOU

NOT TO BE AFRAID.

BUT YOUR EYES

ROLL SLOWLY

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

AND YOUR BLOOD

RED AND FIERCE

POURS LIKE A RIVER

FROM YOUR MOUTH.

NEDA,

MAY YOUR DYING NOT BE IN VAIN!

MAY YOUR BLOOD FEED

THE RIVER OF RAGE!!

MAY YOUR SACRIFICE BRING

JUSTICE TO YOUR LAND!!!

E. Borgstadt

Reuters/Christian Hartmann/June 24, 2009/Zurich

Read Full Post »