Dr. Hisham Ahmed on the Middle East – mid ’90s

Part 1

Part 2

Interview with Mohamed Sid-Ahmed

Part 1

Part 2

On the Annapolis summit

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Arabpolis

A review of Nuclear Black Markets

Link

Defend the Castle

There are barbarians at the gate
The alarm, the double-bolt, the chain, the barred windows, the deadbolt, all failed
The children with their sharpened claws, the vicious guard dog, the chime, all asleep
It’s time for the owner of all to emerge

What scum, this thief, this rapist, this murderer, what devious scum
Heathen, dishonorer of law and all that is good in the world
Should the owner of all have mercy or have vengeance?
How should the lord of all purify his domain?
These are the only questions now

Ah choices, sweet choices, the Remington or the shotgun? (Testing mood)
The shotgun it is – safer in the dark, messier in the cavities it leaves behind
He walks toward certain death as a hunter stalking his prey, watchful, alert
He sees a shadow, lurking, hunched, leering in the kitchen
Wait for a clean shot, slowly, slowly
The shadow turns around with something in it’s hand! Oh no! Shoot, shot, shoot, shit, shoot!!

The shadow falls. Calm down. It’s over. Find a lightswitch.
Oh, it was the neighbor, that drunken no-good louse, stealing a salt-shaker and who knows what else
What a traumatic experience for me, my wife will comfort me, my therapist will comfort me
Maybe a support group will help, maybe my friends will help
If only any of them could do what the shotgun did – defended the castle