Posts in "roy antoun"

By Roy Antoun at 6:50PM

Jan 29, 2011

It’s 1848 in the Middle East and Everyone’s Dancing in the Desert

Cross-posted at Interest of the State.

In 2005, Lebanon's Cedar Revolution blossomed. Syria was booted out of occupying its coastal neighbor and the yearning for freedom with responsive government grew, especially after the March 14 protest in Beirut evolved into a political coalition of pro-Western pacifists.

In 2009, Iran erupted in its second revolution after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won reelection on votes completely fabricated by the president's ministry. Hossein Mousavi, the candidate who "lost" the election took his movement to the streets. The death of innocent bystanders and protesters like Neda became fuel for an ever growing revolt against Iranian government lies.

In 2011, Tunisians lashed out against government officials and their President Ben Ali; the President fled the country to safety in the island of Malta when the revolt in Tunisia made things too unsafe for him to stay. Laborers, lawyers, doctors, and students all protested both violently and peacefully against the low standards of living and lack of civil rights made available to them.

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By Roy Antoun at 6:14PM

Jan 22, 2011

Privatized Military Corp. Blackwater Targets War in Somalia

Cross posted from InterestoftheState.com.

With billions of tax dollars from government contracts in the pockets of Blackwater owner Erik Prince, the private military corporation is now establishing a foothold in none other than Somalia in its efforts to wage war against what Prince regards as Islamic radicalism. While the New York Times reported that he now has a home in the United Arab Emirates, Blackwater is in the midst of supporting a mercenary firm attempting to intervene in Somalia's civil war.

Although Prince's intentions are to keep the world safe from Islamic radicalism, Blackwater's intervention in Somalia can only lead to disaster, considering that the engagements are further dividing Islamic and Christian societies rather than seeking ways to have them coexist in peace.

With war comes collateral damage; with collateral damage comes the tool to recruit more insurgents and fighters. In no way does Blackwater's plan solve the issue at hand, considering that any Muslim who draws a weapon is immediately considered a radical for defending his home after an attack. The idea that perpetual war breeds peace is a fallacy.

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By Roy Antoun at 11:09PM

Jan 15, 2011

Revolution in Tunisia

Within the past week, Tunisia has gone from a country of angry protesters to a nation fueled by revolutionary turmoil. The conflict began when a man was killed for stealing food. The people began by protesting the decision; however, protests turned into violent demonstrations over government authority.

According to VOA News, students, professionals, and laborers all took "to the street in criticism of the government's economic policies, limits on freedom of speech and association, and allegations of corruption."

The riots and demonstrations in Tunisia became severe enough to oust President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali out of North Africa and to refuge on the island of Malta.

With the collapse of the governments in Greece, Ireland, Lebanon, and Tunisia, world leaders will be evaluating the cost of economic steering and civil oppression as measured in the eyes of the public. Western or not, liberty is liberty.

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By Roy Antoun at 10:30AM

Sep 23, 2010

Foreign Policy Handbook Issue 6 Released

Issue VI of YAL's Foreign Policy Handbook is now out. Click on the cover below to grab your digital copy!

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By Roy Antoun at 9:07AM

Aug 13, 2010

Foreign Policy Handbook | Issue 5 RELEASED

Issue 5 of the Foreign Policy Handbook is finally out with a new look and layout!

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By Roy Antoun at 6:41AM

Jul 22, 2010

It's Just a Scary Word

Hearing Mitt Romney and the rest of the neocons ramble on about foreign policy is like watching an Adolph Hitler speech in 1939. Eloquent at face value, the scare tactics of a neoconservative foreign policy couldn’t contain more fallacies. But my favorite of this litany of spooky words is “Islamofascism.” The term, when left to its own devices, is an oxymoron at best. When used the in the phraseology of an ignoramus like Rudy Giuliani, the term becomes a hostile world of hate in American dialog.

It’s not that I do not recognize we have enemies abroad. But this word is not really about that. Instead, it’s the way neocons inflict fear in a rather ignorant demographic. Giuliani said in 2007 that our enemies “follow a violent ideology: radical Islamic fascism, which uses the mask of religion to further totalitarian goals and aims to destroy the existing international system.”

That sounds scary, doesn’t it?

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By Roy Antoun at 8:42AM

Jul 19, 2010

Everyone Forgot about Revolutionary Iran

After the election fiasco of 2009, Iran fell into a vortex of revolution with thousands of citizens taking their frustration to the streets. Riot police attempted to break through ranks of protesting citizens. Civilians were beaten, jailed, and killed. One young woman, Neda, became the face of the nation when a sniper bullet grazed her neck, killing her.

The elections in Iran were clearly rigged. The fact that Iranians took their frustration to a second revolution shows the sheer illegitimacy of “President” Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran.

The United States already views the Iranian government as a rogue regime and despite the revolution and internal discord, the U.S. State Department continuously legitimizes Ahmadinejad’s government by placing more sanctions on Iran because of their recognition of his “reelection.” The better policy would have probably been to recognize revolutionary Mir Hossein Mousavi as the elected leader of Iran and completely disregard Ahmadinejad’s regime.

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