Boston University historian Richard Landes found a very interesting essay translated from the Arabic by the invaluable MEMRI:
…Iraqi reformist Dr. Abd Al-Khaleq Hussein, who writes on several reformist websites, argues that Arab society suffers from “social schizophrenia,” — the symptoms of which are similar to those of individuals suffering from actual schizophrenia. He further argues that the Arab governments must immediately launch social and political reforms which will gradually lead to democracy in the Arab world. If significant reforms are not carried out, he says, disasters will continue to strike the Arab word, and democracy will ultimately be imposed upon it through violent upheavals, as occurred in Iraq. In the article, he also called upon the Arabs to accept the help offered to them by the West - and especially by the U. S. - with the aim of facilitating positive change that will permit them to integrate into the international community.
Landes closes with this summary paragraph:
I guess most Arabs and western “progressives” would consider this man the Arab equivalent of an Oreo. I, of course, think he’s right on. What we need now is a) an analysis of the relationship between humiliation and schizophrenia, and b) an explanation of how our “progressives” could find this schizophrenic personality so attractive.
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