Posted on 07/08/2014 11:44:43 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
With the rise of Islamist organizations, repressive regimes, and civil conflicts which threaten regional stability, the promise of the Arab Spring of 2011 quickly devolved into an Arab winter. In an expansive article in The Economist, the threat to the Middle East is discussed in appropriately grave terms; Syria and Iraq are in flames while Jordan looms as the next domino to potentially fall. Libya and Yemen, where Islamic terror networks operate with impunity, are labeled “failed states.” Those Middle Eastern nations that are not in danger of imminent collapse are either absolute monarchies or counties which merely maintain the false edifice of democracy.
There is one country, however, which shines as a beacon of freedom for the region. It’s commitment to the rule of law and the maintenance of the basic standards of human dignity serve as an example to its neighbors. No, not Israel, silly. Tiny Tunisia is The Economist’s shining city on the Arab hill.
In fairness, the article, datelined Cairo, which accompanies this deeply misleading graphic is far more informative and measured than the visual representation above. That should come as a surprise to no one; if Vox dot com has taught us anything, it is that one simple graphic will never be able to impart “everything you need to know.”
While the author has a case to make for Tunisia’s shift toward Western democratic standards in the wake of the self-immolation of a native fruit vendor who inadvertently sparked the Arab World’s great but failed awakening, there is less of a case to make for Lebanon as a more democratic nation than neighboring Israel.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
Nor is it a “democracy”.
I wouldn’t have caught that if you had not done so.
I have read that at one time, Yemen was a beautiful and fruitful country. I think Islam is what happened.
If so, then they should have colored Israel gray rather than light blue.
They couldn’t even bring themselves to label Israel on the freaking map!
Their treatment of Israel is sad. I regard the Economist as intellectually far, far above ANY of our MSM rags, and that map is not up to their high standards.
It appears that the Muslim disease is a serious one indeed.
And Islam is an even greater mental disease than liberalism.
The Economist has had an anti-Semitic slant for many years Call it old- school jooo hatred ( or maybe envy). It predated the islamonazification of the UK.
Therefore, that would not include Israel and would not just include the Middle East.
The Economist was correct in their map legend and HotAir demonstrates that they cannot read a map.
The "Mid East" (however it is defined) is a geographical construct, which includes Israel.
The "Arab World" is a construct based on ethnicity and national government -- Israel is not included, by definition. You will note that they rank the Palestinian Territories (democratic facade). They don't say that Israel isn't "democratic" -- they don't say anything about it, because it's not an Arab state.
Good to see that someone else actually knows how to read a map and distinguish terms necessary to understand basic geography.
The map is labeled The Arab World. It is hard to see any part of Israel because the starburst symbol labeled “recent Islamist terror attacks is superimposes, and #1 is Palestinian States. So although it was not labeled, it was shown as beings subject to terror attacks.
Anti-Semitism in UK was strong at end of WWII. Israel was not given much military help by the British and fought a nasty war to keep its independence. The grand mufti of Jerusalem was in Egypt stirring up as much hatred has he could. Earlier he visited Hitler, and later was helpful to Arafat. Plenty of nastiness to go around.
I don’t think I saw Israel on that map
How many decades ago was that?
It was also a land of many Jews -- there was even a Jewish king of the Himyarite kingdom that persecuted Christians in the 6th century who was defeated by an invading Christian army from teh Christian kingdom of Axum (Ethiopia)
But it's been on the decline since the 7th century when Islam came and then in the 10th century it was "purified" of Christians and Jews and the dam fell into disrepair.
Now it is a cesspit, but it is 100% Moslem...
Also note that there’s a footnote (1) with an arrow to “Palestinian territories”, and Israel doesn’t appear on this “map”.
No, it wasn’t. Britain has never been an anti-Semitic nation, far from it. And what exists has been historically confined to the upper classes or the knuckle dragging morons. In fact the British people have openly rejected open anti-Semitism, from Oswald Mosley in the 30s to the BNP now.
The Jewish population of Great Britain lives happily without any major anti-semitism. In fact, Judaism is openly celebrated as a long standing and vibrant part of British culture. British TV ran Jewish documentaries across all five of its network channels last year.
Did America?.
British Jewish entertainers, writers, politicians and businesspeople openly celebrate their Jewishness. The London East End Jew, with his sharp wit and mouth is as well loved and known a cultural icon as the Glaswegian or the Cockney.
The current British Prime Minister is part Jewish. As is the deputy PM. As is the leader of the opposition party(Labour). So you have Jewish-descended people in the three most important political positions in the UK.
Are Obama, Biden and Romney Jewish?......
The comments about Britain are simply obnoxious. They are a disgusting slander on the vast, vast majority of the British people. Who are no more antisemitic than their American cousins._
The UK is the nation that rejected the naked antisemitism of the 1930’s Fascists, and continues to reject the antisemitism of the BNP and other fringe neo-nazi parties and groups.
The nation that stood alone against Hitler, while America and others stood by. And the nation that liberated Belsen and saved Jewish lives.
To suggest that the British people are antisemitic OR that the jews of Britain are victims of mass cultural or physical antisemitism is a downright and disgusting lie.
Oh, and the RAF fought air battles in 1948 to help Israel, most notably at Ramat David, whilst America did nothing.
Although Jews lived safely in England, I got the distinct impression that significant elements of the Military in Palestine/Israel after WWII were not very Jewish friendly.
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