An interview I conducted of my friend Paul, going into depth on what it was like as a B17 bombardier/navigator in the air war against Germany in World War Two.
An Interview: “Pure Luck: Survival in the Air war Against Nazi Germany”
Category: Uncategorized
My new article for Divergent Options
I’ve got a piece out for a great new website on National Security.
I make the basic policy argument that a US prioritization of economic empowerment policies in the Middle East is ultimately the best way to combat the inter-related problems of the EU migration crisis and the rising appeal of Jihadism.
Wise words on Saudi Arabia from an informed reader
The most informed voices on Saudi politics are quite often those working there over a long-term period, usually in business of some sort.* When there in that capacity, you are part of the system, and Saudis will interact and engage with you, tell you things etc, in a way that won’t happen with journalists or academics there for a 1 or 2 week visit.
For that reason, I place a very high premium on the opinions of expats in Saudi Arabia for work and mid-level/ rising Saudi managers. A Western reader with elite Arabic skills and who has spent several years in Riyadh for business sent me the below comment after reading my August interview with Greg Gause.
I thought it was too insightful not to share with readers and he graciously allows me to post for RWA readers. Highlights by me:
*Which is also why I consider this book, by an academic, who first worked in Saudi for business, one of the very best books I’ve read on Saudi politics to date.
MSA “Base” to competence in Algeria part III: Talking about family, hobbies, and buying things in stores
See previous post for more on this topic.
Key point:
North African Dialects are not as incomprehensibly “different” as they are often made out to be by many in the Arabic studies field.
If you have built up a strong MSA base, and have spent a decent amount of time speaking in any Dialect (250+ hours), you are in a good position to approach the differences rationally and “convert” your skills in a reasonably short amount of time (one month or less).
Three transcripts from Algeria.
Describing One’s Family
Catching up with Greg Gause on Saudi Arabia, Arabic and Texas A&M
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F. Gregory Gause III is the head of the International Affairs Department at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University and a world-renowned expert on Saudi politics. I caught up with Professor Gause recently in Rehoboth Beach. Some questions of interest to Real World Arabic readers that I asked my old friend and fellow Delaware native:
In your recent Foreign Affairs article you challenged a popular policy notion that the Saudi government can somehow control or stop Global Salafism. You argued that they lost control decades ago “if they ever really had it.” I happen to agree with you 100%. At the biggest picture counter-terrorism policy level, what does this mean in dealing with this new spread of populist-ISISism?
I think it means two things, one Saudi-centric and one having to do with, if you will, the “targets” of salafi proselytization, whether that be by Saudi-supported institutions or by violent jihadists like ISIS.
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