From Qatar: Mumbai Terrorism, Obama, Arab Youth and Thanksgiving

I sent my colleague Dr. Dennis Roberts, who works as American Professor for the flagship project of Qatar Foundation -Education City -the Open Letter to President Obama, from Center for Human Emrgence, Mideast.  This is his newest entry from his blog.

Seen from an American citizen who now lives and works in the GCC Region for one year. And how it is all seen from there. Check out also the other entries from Dennis from last months. 

 Mumbai terrorism, Obama and Arab youth, and Thanksgiving


My journey in Qatar continues to include increasing depth of understanding about the political, religious, and other strife that seems to abound in the Middle East. The terrorism in Mumbai and the take-over of airports in Thailand represent the dynamics most often associated with the Middle East, only pushing them further into Asia. Why do these incidents continue to occur and what's the way out?

I'm not a political scientist nor an expert in Middle Eastern and/or Asian affairs. However, a letter that I received from a colleague reflected the hope that many young people around the world have as a result of the election of Barack Obama. The Center for Human Emergence Middle East issued An Open Letter on the Middle East to President-Elect Obama. Based on the enthusiasm of Arab youth, the letter proposes that one of the keys to possibility and peace is for the U.S.A. to take a more balanced role in relation to Israel and Palestine. In particular, the letter urges that the U.S.A. join with other countries (including Israel) to build the capacity of Palestine so that it can return to a position as a progessive, economically viable, and independent country. I encounter the angst over Palestine all the time in my casual interactions. Whether it's the black and white version of gahfia worn as a scarf by young Arabs or the music of activist artists, the message is unmistakable - stop privileging only one side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and recognize that there has been plenty of wrong-headedness and wrong-doing among all parties.

Read more..