The course of Syria's revolution since its idealistic early days has been a painful learning experience for many young activists, says Malik al-Abdeh.
The fact that such a harmless video could cause such ramifications is disappointing.
‘We are the walking-dead, we live in a vacuum, we have nothing. We have nothing. All it (the Government) can do for us is put us in jail,’ shouted a protester during a recent protest action.
Even before Islamists made their mark, the state oversaw how people thought, felt and behaved. This guiding philosophy of the Mubarak regime has been inherited by the Islamists – it is an insult to millions of Egyptians who detest the state for treating them as children.
The GNC proposed moving to Bayda in order to avoid the deteriorating security situation in Tripoli when they should have been showing their strength and determination by trying to solve the root of the problem, notably the militias.
They are unwilling to go back to detaining and torturing “the Salafis” to win the satisfaction of the western hemisphere, but on the other hand, Tunisians are refusing to be returned to the middle ages.
Riad Seif is quietly impressive, and will no doubt play a positive role in a post-war Syria. But he exudes none of the characteristics of a leader everyone can unite behind.
On the eve of the US elections the Arab media has been full of analyses and forecasts about the consequences of the results and their potential impact on the turbulent Middle Eastern area with its conflicts, crises and revolutions.
Will Barack Obama finally deliver on his promises of peace and better relations with the Middle East? His re-election certainly offers him a second chance - don't waste it this time Mr President!
The Tunisian experience with state feminism is a model to draw lessons from, especially for the Arab-Muslim countries whether governed by liberal autocratic regimes or Islamist regimes: whenever the regime talks in favour of women, read between the lines.
