Robert Fisk paints a troubling picture of a nation that needs fundamental reform: According to historian Farouk Mardam-Bey, for example, Syria is “a tribal regime, which by being a kind of mafia clan and by exercising the cult of personality, can be compared to the Libyan regime”, which can never reform itself because reform will…
Showing all posts tagged Robert Fisk
Of course America killed Bin Laden in Israeli-style thuggery
Robert Fisk is right: Bin Laden got his just deserts – those who live by the sword tend to die by the sword – but did he get the “justice” that President Obama talked about? Many Arabs – and this theme was taken up by the Arab press, which spoke of his “execution” – thought…
Libya isn’t a Western plaything
While parts of Libya begin to imagine a life without Gaddafi – wonderful quote in this typically incisive Anthony Shadid piece in the New York Times: “There is no call for the overthrow of the government; only Colonel Qaddafi is mentioned, as lackey, tyrant and the man with really bad hair” – Western powers are…
Hypocrisy trumps policy in Western alliance with Libya
My following article appears today on ABC’s The Drum: The latest BBC interview with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, situated in a fancy restaurant on the Mediterranean, was painful to watch. Clearly delusional and blaming drug-addled youth and al-Qaeda for the ongoing revolution in his country (which he claimed he didn’t lead, the “masses” were in…
This is what’s changed everywhere; fear of dictators is decreasing
Robert Fisk has just left Tripoli: While dark humour has never been a strong quality in Libyans, there was one moment at Tripoli airport yesterday which proved it does exist. An incoming passenger from a Libyan Arab Airlines flight at the front of an immigration queue bellowed out: “And long life to our great leader…
Who do Egyptians trust to bring them democracy?
Not the West, says Robert Fisk. The Palestinians would certainly agree: AMY GOODMAN: Well, what about the U.S. relationship with the military? I was talking to someone in a government agency in Washington, and they were deeply concerned, saying, “How do we counter the image that we’ve actually been supporting this despot for 30 years?”…
No wonder Egyptians don’t trust the West, why should they?
Robert Fisk on the infantile comments of our leaders towards the Egyptian streets. Perhaps it’s time to throw out our democratically-elected men with some serious people. They couldn’t be much more obsequious: Only when the power of youth and technology forced this docile Egyptian population to grow up and stage its inevitable revolt did it…
Fisk on America’s lost opportunity (which they were never going to take)
Egyptians are rising up and America is looking to install a torturing autocrat in place of Mubarak? Robert Fisk on the streets of Cairo: Well, immense courage displayed by those who are demanding the overthrow, effectively, of Mubarak, oddly matched by the complete gutlessness of the U.S. administration. In fact, the cowardice of the language…
Arabs would like freedom from us
Arab dictatorships are what the West likes very much. Compliant thugs who do as they’re told. We give them money and support and wonder why terrorism breeds. Robert Fisk issues caution over hoping the Arab world could reform post Tunisia: Yes, we would like a democracy in Tunisia – but not too much democracy. Remember…