The Middle East is not all bombs, violence and fanaticism. Wonderful people live here, people with dreams and hopes about democracy and peace and decency. The Middle East was once the birthplace of the world's great ideas. It was the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of the three monotheistic religions. "Greek" science was born in Asia minor. After the decline of the ancient world, civilization and intellectual curiosity were revived and maintained by the Arab civilization, born once again in the Middle East.

Those achievements, and not wars and conquest, are the real enduring legacy of the Middle East, that we must revive and pass on to our children. The Middle East is our home. It is time for our home to become ours, not the playground of alien, evil and dogmatic ideologies, cynical dictators and religious fanatics. We will not have a bright future in the Middle East until we stop letting extremists manipulate us.  A brighter future for the Middle East is up to us.  Can we build a better future for the Middle East?

Israel and Palestine: The time for serious peace action is now  - As usual in the Middle East, there is too much talk about grandiose peace negotiations, which may be impractical right now, and not enough meaningful action on either side. 

Lebanon - "La Vache Qui Rit" (laughing cow or mad beast) is the local nickname of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahud.

Pilots' Ward Abu Salam Al-Arabi  June 23, 2003

I was a reserve lieutenant serving in an Arab army during the 1973 war. I was positioned at a big military hospital. The adjacent ward was assigned to the injured Israeli pilots whose jet fighters were shot down by air defense missiles. Many of them ejected from their planes just seconds before being hit by SAMs.  More  Arabic Version

Online Middle East  Magazine

Arabic: US Bill of Rights
Declaration of Human Rights