The Arab Female vice-President: The Ba`th Party and Culture. So the Syrian government wishes to convince us that this was a coup, an impressive gesture intended to put the Syrian government in a favorable light. Najah Al-`Attar, 74, (shown above with her wig which she wears instead of the regular veil because the Ba`th frowned upon the veil at one point), who served for years as a Minister of Culture, was appointed as vice-president for Culture Affairs. The Ba`th regime selected her in her prime age to let her do services to culture for years to come. You remember what Goring said about culture in this context. I was distressed over the news because some writers from Syria were quoted praising the appointment, and praising her past tenure as Minister of Culture. This sister of `Isam Al-`Attar, who led the Muslim Brotherhood from Germany while his sister was a token Sunni face of the regime, served in the most cruel years of the regime. Culture? She was Minister of Culture when a Syrian writer with a PhD from London university was forced to teach at a high school because he dared to criticize the regime? Culture? While she served as minister of culture, Syrian writers and intellectuals were being tortured in a tire (the famous dulab torture technique for which the regime became famous). Culture? While she served as minister some Syrian culture figures had their testicles electrocuted. And you speak of culture? I always get angry when I think about what the Ba`th Party did with and to culture, in Syria and Iraq and in other countries where the Ba`th culture of assassination was transported. Spare us an appointment.
PS On the day of her appointment, a Syrian writer, `Ali Al-`Abdullah, was arrested (with his son).