Dreams of Glory

Ghassan Tueni thinks he found the founding father of a new Arabism. He should think again.

When Ghassan Tueni, one of Lebanon’s veteran journalists writes an article like this one, a lot of people will stop and take note.

It is understandable that Mr. Tueni sees hope in the new Saudi King for Saudi Arabia, but to ask him to carry the torch of Arab nationalism in the face of what he terms “an increasingly accepted federalist culture” is a little too much.

How about asking his highness a few questions, like for example, why is it that he, the unelected king, is the one that makes strategic decisions? Where does he derive his legitimacy from? If the king can’t manage women’s rights in his own country, how can he manage a collective polity of multi-racial peoples?

Ask the King Mr Tueni, why has the GDP per head of the average Saudi citizen declined so sharply in the last two decades? Why are 19 of the September 11 hijackers Saudi Citizens?

Ask the King Mr. Tueni, why didn’t he make an official statement of grief concerning the 1000 Iraqis that died a few days ago? Or Arabism doesn’t include Shias and kurds? Ask the Iraqi President why he’s upset.

Mr. Tueni, we know that the King was very hospitable and showed you some good time, but that is not a good reason to dig some old ideas from the grave.