Fouad Ajami, 1945-2014

Weekly Standard ^ | 6/23/2014 | Paul Wolfowitz

[mojito]

The death of Fouad Ajami this weekend, at the age of 68, deprived this country and the world of a uniquely powerful voice – one that is at the same time both Arab and American – that could have helped guide us, as he has in the past, through the hazards and complications of his native Middle East.

[....]

Born in Lebanon, Fouad became an American by choice. He embraced the values of his adopted country, the United States, with a passion that matched his adoption of English. But he never lost sight of where he had come from or of the complexities and tragedies that will beset that part of the world for a long time to come. His writing is imbued with a deep sense of the tragedy arising from the clash between American power, with its “armies and machines – and earnestness," and “a big impenetrable region” where “America could awe the people of the Arab-Muslim world, and that region could outwit and outwait American power. . . . America could entertain for Iraqis hopes of a decent political culture, and the enemies of this project could fall back on a bigotry sharpened for combat and intolerance.”

[mojito]

I learned a great deal about the ME from reading Ajami, which was always a pleasure, even in those rare instances when I disagreed with him.

But what I'll remember best about him was in 2008, when Ajami warned America about 0bama and the kind of man he was, even as the rest of the MSM swooned and fainted.

A good man, a fine scholar and writer. He will be missed, especially in times like these.

RIP.

[Finalapproach29er]

A very smart and reasonable man. RIP

[Biggirl]

RIP.

What a bad time to lose such a great thinker.

[End Times Sentinel]

A great loss for Our Nation.
Rest in Peace Mr. Ajami.

[Hardastarboard]

Ditto, Amen. He made the Middle East almost comprehensible, and was a great writer. I never got the sense that he had any agendas. This is a great loss to America and the world.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.