Time's book of Insults and Falsehoods about the Middle East. Time magazine has just published a special book on the Middle East. When I bought it to read it on the plane yesterday I knew what to expect. But it was beyond my lowest expectations. It was worse than bad, and more stupid than you can imagine. It started with an introduction by Jimmy Carter. I read his memoirs and read his silly book on the Middle East (the first one) and enjoyed neither. What can I tell you. Arab American and Muslim American organization have not noticed this book of insults and will not protest it: Arab American organizations in DC are busy propagating for Gulf dynasties and Muslim Arab American organizations are busy propagating for Gulf dynasties, and both are busy scrutinizing Danish cartoons. The book is an anthology of offenses, insults, falsehoods, and stupidities--and so many stereotypes about Muslims and Arabs. The Pope would be proud. The crusades are referred to as “liberation of the historic sites of Christianity from Muslim hands” (p. 6). On. p. 11 you learn that Arabs—not Israel—have been behind the opposition to a Palestinian state. As for Islamic terrorism, it was created by “Arab nationalists, Palestinian guerrillas, fundamentalist mullahs, and academics.” Notice the last word. It makes all Arab academics suspects. It does not name names, so it leaves you with the impression that it could be all of them or some of them. On p. 22, we are told that Hajj is merely an obligation for “every adult Muslim male.” On p. 26, the Hadith is identified as “collection of sermons, oral lessons, and commentaries.” On p. 27, you learn that the Qur’an is “astonishingly beautiful verses of poetry.” On p. 29, you learn that “In many Arab countries, tradition keeps most women at home and off the street.” The veil, it adds is required “by law in many Arab countries”—only one government Saudi Arabia requires it in fact. On p. 36, the inform you that Saudi Arabia is “regarded with deep respect” in the Muslim world, and that Wahhabiyyah “caught fire with everyday Arabs.” (p. 37). On p. 40, you learn that the Israeli government immediately offered to return Arab lands after the 1967 war, but Arab governments stubbornly rejected the generous Israeli offer. The racist Separation barrier is called “defensive barrier” (p. 41). On p. 46, you learn that Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1993. My favorite is on p. 48: Jordan “remains a model of tolerance in the Middle East: women in Western-style dress can be seen on the streets, alcohol is served in the restaurants, and Americans are thanked for being the countrymen of the respected Queen Noor”--do my readers know how loathed Queen Noor is by Jordanians (and other Arabs)? There is so much more but I have no time. The year given for when Nasrallah became Hizbullah leader is wrong, and the 1939 White Paper did NOT end Jewish immigration, and on and on. This, I bet you, will be used as a teaching tool in high schools around the nation. Enjoy. If you want to write to them: Time Books; Attn: Book Editors; PO Box 11016, Des Moines, IA 50336. Not that I believe that letters to the editor in the US can do any good. Not at all.