Comments on: The New York Times recognizes the Palestinian pathologies

By: Tatterdemalian

Tatterdemalian — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:45:54 +0000

“This is not quite true, as a casual knowledge of Palestinian history would reveal.”

Sadly, it seems only neocons and Israelis have even a casual knowledge of Palestinian history. I actually got ran off a college campus last week for telling a group of Guevara wannabes that the Palestinians never relied solely on suicide bombings in their war for freedom; apparently the possiblity that their noble savages would stoop to such bourgeois tools as AK-47s disturbed them well past the point of violence.

By: Oceanguy

Oceanguy — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:51:14 +0000

Ajami is a bit confused though. He argues for a two state solution but has no hope of the palestinians being capable of managing their own state.

He speaks the truth, and calls the palestinian dream a fantasy, but still holds on to his own palestinian fantasy of a second palestinian state.

By: Alex Bensky

Alex Bensky — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:13:27 +0000

“It has long been a cherished legend of the Palestinians, and a proud claim, that they would not kill their own…”

This is not quite true, as a casual knowledge of Palestinian history would reveal. More accurately, “they would rather kill Jews.” They still would, which is why, uncharitable though it may be, I’m glad to see them turning their weapons on each other.

By: Michael Lonie

Michael Lonie — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 03:16:48 +0000

For one thing Ajami is, I think, a Shi’a, and all those Arabists on the Fraudi payroll are Sunni oriented. Anyone familiar with the Shi’a tends to be focussed on Iran, and Ajami came from Lebanon. Two strikes against him, no matter how much sense he writes and talks. At least MESA hasn’t been able to blackball him.

The present day is the Arabs’ one chance to reform their political culture in the direction of halfway decent, consensual government. This opportunity was brought to them by George W. Bush, the dreaded neocons, and the US Armed Forces. This opportunity is available because the US government, parts of it at least, see such reform as the best way to suppress the jihadi terrorists without a really gigantic bloodbath. Most of the blood will be Muslim. If the Arabs fail to grasp this opportunity they will never get another and any governments they have in the future will be bloodthirsty, kleptocratic tyrants, whether “secular” or Islamist.

By: Herschel

Herschel — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 22:00:34 +0000

Fouad Ajami has been making the same thought provoking statements for many years. He has a unique insight into the Arab mindset, and I have always enjoyed his articles.

Unfortunately, no one in a position of power ever listens to his wisdom. The middle east would be a much better place if his ideas were actually implemented.
Instead, we receive instant coverage of the one-term peanut farmers latest screed against Israel.

By: Joel

Joel — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:41:48 +0000

Yeah by tomorrow the usual litany of Arabists, anti Zionists, anti Semites, anti Americans – spearheaded by former State Department officials now on the Saudi or PLO payroll (such as Edward Abington) – will write their screeds denouncing Ajami.Why by the way do we not have someone like Ajami in the State Department instead of useless apparthcniks such as Dennis Ross and Martin Indyk?