Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
By Abdennour Toumi Ankara, Turkey — Turkish parliamentary elections on June 7th are fast approaching, the streets are decorated with parties’ banners, and daily candidate caravans furrow the districts with blaring loud speakers, seeking the vote for their constituency. The operation has already begun in Turkish communities abroad. It’s a “sports” contest on a national scale, yet this…
After fighting for the independence of Europe, Arabs and Muslims in the Middle East were massacred by the military forces of their alleged Western nation allies, such as on May 8, 1945 when French soldiers clased with Muslims who were celebrating the collapse of the Nazi regime in Germany By Abdennour Toumi Ankara, Turkey — One…
Do Arabs in the Middle East and Arab World have an apathetic attitude towards life and the pursuit of happiness? The growing problem of litter throughout is one sign they don’t care much about their societies at all By Abdennour Toumi Ankara, Turkey — Spring is here! It brings the aroma of fresh flowers, mowed grass and…
Three-day International Symposium held in Ankara, Turkey explores the challenges facing Syria, its history, politics, and foreign policy, hosted by the SDE Institute of Strategic Thinking in collaboration with Yildirim Beyazit University. Also explored, the Armenian Massacre, the Western divisions of the Arab World, and the Kurdish movement for statehood By Abdennour Toumi Ankara, Turkey —…
When the West created the Arab States after their colonization and occupation of the Middle East region after World War I, did they abandon their promises of implementing Democracies? Today’s Arab countries are not Democratic and have never been in a large part because of the failures of the Democratic West. By Abdennour Toumi Ankara, Turkey…
By Abdennour Toumi Ankara, Turkey — The Bardo Museum massacre shocked Tunisians who thought they were safe from ISO dystopia. Years ago a dynamic change took place in the streets of Tunisia that launched a concerted struggle that is still taking place, whether in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt or Yemen. But this change is obstructed by solid…
By Abdennour Toumi — Paris – France The “Charlie” spirit still haunts France’s politicians, media, academicians and streets. France pre-January 7/15 is no longer France post-January 11/15. Meanwhile on the avenues, in the banlieues (suburbs), and Sunday markets everything seems to be going at a normal pace, and life moves on. Still the tension is…
Read More “The Difficult is the Path Itself, discrimination in France” »
Muslims and Christians have a long history of friendship and respect that can’t be broken by recent events involving terrorism and violence by a few. Christianity and Islam have close ties that should not be destroyed by stereotypes and lack of knowledge. Government leaders should remember that. By Abdennour Toumi Paris – France — In the early…
Read More “Christians Muslims: We are siblings not strangers” »
By Abdennour Toumi Ankara – Turkey — The recent attacks in Paris are but one act in a series of serious threats posed by “homegrown” radicalism from young immigrant Muslim dissenters. This menace has forced Western domestic intelligence to deal with a case that demands vigilant law enforcement on one hand and a general review of Muslim…
Read More “Edjteehad in the West: fighting Islamic extremism” »
By Abdennour Toumi Ankara – Turkey — I thought the West had finally gained some understanding of Arabs and Muslims in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy a decade ago. For instance Americans attended Arabic classes en masse at any nearby community college or state university program. Their interest greatly increased book sales about Arabs and…
By Abdennour Toumi Paris, France — Paris, known world-wide as La Ville Lumière, is a name well-earned and valid, not only for its fame as a center of intellectualism since the Age of Enlightenment, but also as the seat of inspirational education for students the world over. Countless lights shine to illuminate this sparkling city at…
By Abdennour Toumi Paris, France — In soccer, when a player viciously prevents an opponent from playing out or finishing an action, it’s called an anti-game. This leads to a sanction by a yellow card or, as it is known in the soccer jargon, a biscotti. This week, former French international full-back, the coach of les…
Read More “Yellow Card! Sagnol’s polemical hit on African soccer players” »
Q&A with Dr. Veysel Ayhan, President of International Middle East Peace Research (IMPR), a think-tank center based in Ankara, Turkey By Abdennour Toumi, Ankara-Turkey Profile: Dr. Veysel Ayhan is Associate Professor and President of International Middle East Peace Research Center. He is also Associate Professor at the Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey. In May 2012,…
Read More “Exclusive interview with Turkish analyst Veysel Ayhan” »
Ray of Hope from Tunis, despite criticism By Abdennour Toumi Tunisian parliamentary election put an end to the Islamists rhetorical course and reset the secularists theoretical discourse. There is worthy of comment due to the repeated and disappointing coverage by Western and Arab media alike. Such “twisting” of the news continues as Western media persists…
A Day at the Syrian-Turkish Border, refugees and relief By Abdennour Toumi Nusaybin-Turkey — The Nusaybin gate stands in Qamishli, a city controlled by the PYD, in a self-proclaimed administrative territory in northeastern Syria. At this border gate the Assad regime still controls the administrative process (paper work). A giant smiling portrait of President Assad hangs on a…
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The Voice of Salah e-Eddine Haunts Kobani By Abdennour Toumi (Suruç, Turkey) After more than two weeks’ resistance, ISO militants have taken over neighboring villages southwest of Kobani (Aïn-el-Arab) forcing an exodus of northern Syria’s ethnic Kurdish population across the border to the southern city of Suruç in Şanliurfa province. As a result the Turkish military has…
New Dilemmas for Turkey’s Syrian-Iraqi Kurds By Abdennour Toumi, Mardin, Turkey As the civil war in Syria continues, the ethnic factor is just one of many paradoxes plaguing this dynamic conflict/crisis. Along Turkey’s southern long borders, it has become clear that with the regime change the Syrian opposition demands have caused Turkey and its regional policy…
APO Spirit at the Big Fat Kurdish Wedding! By Abdennour Toumi Derbassiya, Turkey — Here in Turkey Kurdistan is very dear to the hearts and minds of Kurds across the region, including Mesopotamia and other historical places, and I wonder if any people have occupied such a unique position before. Certainly Kurdistan is very dear in…