The panel was about media and power, and the speakers talked about many different things, including how political manipulation can affect the freedom of media...
All in all, it was a very good event, and I really enjoyed the experience. And even though not many bloggers were there (I mean those invited because of their blogs and not journalists who blog), blogging was one of the main headlines in the forum and it was almost mentioned in every panel. Blogging has received a very good exposure at this event, and I'm extremely glad about this. I had a really good time, and I'm looking forward to attend next year.
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(2)Muslim Offense Level downgraded to "Condition Yellow"
Wherein we learn how an advertisement which contained a Danish apology for the cartoons appeared in Saudi newspapers.
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(3) Notwithstanding Chris Matthews pessimistic view that Iraq is headed for all-out civil war and democracy will never be embraced by a people who do not want it, we have this more optimistic view from Mohammed at Iraq the Model:
Life is coming back to normal in Baghdad and marketplaces and offices are open again after being shut for 4 days. Although there were a few security incidents today people are mostly looking at these as part of the usual daily situation and not related to the latest shrine crisis.
But, what can we learn from this lesson and how can we make benefit from it in avoiding similar problems in the future.
RTWT in which a very bright and politically astute Iraqi analyzes the current situation and hopes one of the lessons learned is the necessity to separate the government from the clerics and disband the militias.
(In contrast, one of our own politicians, Levin, on Chris Matthews tonite demanded that Bush threaten to withdraw our troops if the Iraqi government doesn't get its act together. Smart move. Not. This is exactly what certain Sunni's are hoping for.)
For some more info on the background negotiations in Iraq to end the conflict, check this short WaPo piece. Talabani impressed me here, and, of course, Khalilzad as well.
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I caught up on my reading of all three of these blogs in one go tonite. If I told you I feel better and more optimistic now it would be admitting how turned off I was to the whole Arab world after the violent reaction to the cartoons. It's not the entire Arab world, of course, just certain elements within it. I'm afraid I have to be reminded of that from time to time.
2 comments:
Syl:
I think all of us were. In fact I think that is a good deal of the reason for the Dubai reaction, people are just tired of the crazy people.
I know that is what the crazy people want. These people take to the streets with signs in English for a reason.
One good thing about the turn off is that it might make people with power in the Muslim world realize this whole burn flags, trash embassies, rant and rave mob thing could have a very bad effect on business.
But there are about a billion Muslimes in the world, that is a lot of people, it does not take a huge percentage of them to look like a mob.
I noted that Amy Goodman was at the conference. They could have used a Mark Stein too.
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