I was reading latest issues of the Economist yesterday. You all know I praise the Economist more than I praise any news publication in any language. It is more intelligent and more professional and better written than the rest, by far. The Middle East correspondent of the Economist is able and sharp: his weekly coverage of the region is the best that I read. He knows Arabic and it shows. Yet, on the Syria issue, he is not distinguishing himself. He is following conventional wisdom and he is above that. For example, in the most recent issue, in the article on Syria, he interviews two people: Riyad Qahwaji (who he did not identify as someone who works for the UAE government and who is an advocate of Gas and Oil regimes) and a guy from March 14 in Lebanon. Something is wrong with the picture.
PS I was told that the correspondent of the Economist is a woman and that she writes from Beirut [i was told based in Beirut] and that her Arabic is intermediate-level. I assumed wrongly that Max Rodenbeck is writing from Syria.
PS I was told that the correspondent of the Economist is a woman and that she writes from Beirut [i was told based in Beirut] and that her Arabic is intermediate-level. I assumed wrongly that Max Rodenbeck is writing from Syria.
