Washington Watch Articles From 2011
King Not Fit to Lead
For all the fanfare and bluster, the U.S. House of Representative's Committee on Homeland Security hearings on "The Extent of Radicalization in the Muslim Community and That Community's Response" produced little of value.
Islamophobia Can Create Radicalization
Let me state quite directly: Islamophobia and those who promote it are a greater threat to the United States of America than Anwar al Awlaqi and his rag-tag team of terrorists.
Ethnic Politics in America
I stood, this morning, before a room filled to capacity with members of the Democratic Party's Ethnic Council. The Council is an assembly of representatives of America's rich and diverse ethnic immigrant communities.
The Change We Need
When speaking about the Arab uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and beyond, the language used here in the U.S. is euphoric.
After Egypt: Arab Voices Matter
If one lesson is to be learned from the remarkable events unfolding in Egypt, it is that Arab public opinion matters.
Politics and Nonsense on Egypt
When U.S. politicians are forced to discuss critical Middle East matters, more often than not, their remarks either display an ignorance of facts, are shaped more by political needs than reality, or are just plain dumb.
Limited Options in the Face of Turmoil
Across the Middle East dramatic events have been unfolding in rapid-fire succession, confounding U.S. policy makers.
Reflections on Tunisia
Tunisia is on my mind. Events unfolding there have been both dramatic and inspiring, and are dominating discussions across the Arab World.
Reactions to the Tucson Shootings
The senseless shootings in Tucson (that left six innocents dead and thirteen wounded - including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords) traumatized the nation, threatening, for a moment, to exacerbate an already deep political divide. Shock always takes a toll, frequently causing reactions that can be quite revealing.
Faux Faithful Abuse Constitution
In a display of faux piety, the 112th Congress opened its first day of business by reading aloud the Constitution of the United States. Referring to it as "our sacred text", one-by-one, over 130 Members of Congress queued up to participate, each solemnly reading a few words before giving way to a colleague who would read a few more.