The story of Iraq on the 10th anniversary of the second US invasion is composed of a series of tragedies.
The first tragedy is the sacrificing of truth at the altar of war.
It began with the massive media desensitization of the suffering of the (...)
In what could be a sign of how social media is reshaping politics in the Middle East and North Africa, Tunisian protesters turned to Twitter to broadcast information on their popular revolt against the government's economic and media (...)
I had never imagined when I started to write an article about the cold-blooded violence targeting the Christians of Iraq that I would be mourning for their Coptic brethren in Egypt.
On Dec. 30, four Christian homes were attacked in Baghdad; an (...)
CAIRO: To the Arabs, the “victories” of the October 1973 (Tenth of Ramadan) War proved that Israel was not invincible. To the Israelis, the Yom Kippur War proved that even when taken by nominal surprise, its military can strike back with tactical (...)
The US political and military establishments have made numerous grave errors in judgment when it comes to Iraq policy, foremost of which is the choice to invade and occupy the oil-rich nation.
However, in hoping to save face with a history that (...)
In the past few months, billboards, TV spots and newspaper ads all asked the same question, who is Salt?
After watching the action thriller starring Angelina Jolie in the title role, the answer became disappointingly self-evident.
Salt is Lara (...)
The first few minutes of James Mangold's “Knight and Day” are packed with interesting dialogue, a literate script bordering on the philosophical, simmering sexual tension, and masterful character development.
June Havens (Cameron Diaz), a clumsy (...)
“I love it when a plan comes together.”
This iconic phrase was first uttered by Colonel John 'Hannibal' Smith when “The A-Team” action series debuted on the NBC network in the US in 1983.
But did the scriptwriters, producers and director Joe (...)
Nearly 10 years since “Shrek” first brought in the green at the box office, writer Walt Dohrn takes everyone's favorite ogre through a metaphysical paradox, and asks the following question: What would happen to the land of Far, Far Away if Shrek had (...)
The unprecedented enthusiasm in the Arab and Muslim world which greeted Barack Obama's election win nearly 20 months ago has been replaced with disappointment and anger.
Millions of Arabs and Muslims applauded when Barack Obama addressed the (...)
The latest production based on a popular video game, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is great fun, filled to the sword hilt with swashbuckling adventure, mysticism and all the conspiracy and treachery that would make Machiavelli proud.
But (...)
And so the legend begins …
No, those aren't the opening lines of Ridley Scott's latest reimagining of the Robin Hood myth/fable.
They're actually part of the film's epilogue.
Confused?
Walking into the theater, I couldn't help but (...)
The decision by an Iraqi court to disqualify dozens of candidates — including one winner from the Iraqiya coalition led by former premier Iyad Allawi — for alleged ties to the Baath party could push the country closer to civil war.
There is an (...)
Quick question: What movie-making elements guarantee the success of a film?
Are they the script, the direction, the cast, the action sequences, the subject matter, or the vigorous marketing campaign?
In the case of "Sherlock Holmes, directed (...)
James Cameron s latest epic "Avatar is the work of a visionary ... but if you are an avid moviegoer who has followed his work in the past three decades, you probably already know that.
In the 1980s, Cameron created a myopic future fashioned in (...)
Our children have all grown up now and in the world of adolescence, the world of magic is no longer innocent. At least, the viewer is made to think so in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth installment of J.K. Rowling s phenomenally (...)
The murder of Marwa Al-Sherbini, a veiled (and pregnant) Egyptian woman, as she prepared to give evidence in a German courtroom against a man who publicly slandered her, has incensed the Muslim World and re-ignited the debate over whether Europe is (...)
Thousands of Iraqis are celebrating the redeployment of US troops out of their cities and into military bases throughout the country.
But the fireworks fired into the air and the pomp and circumstance of so-called Sovereignty Day, the sobriquet (...)
If I were to use two words or less to critique Michael Bay's sequel "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen they would be Megan Fox.
Megan Fox.
That's it. Nothing to see after that folks, move along. Move along.
Sarcasm aside there really (...)
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak s op-ed on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Wall Street Journal (June 19) should not be viewed through the prism of economic and political challenges he faces at home nor should it be influenced by the (...)
The coming days will determine whether Iran continues to be governed by a rogue and expansionist regime hiding behind the veil of a moral theocracy or a government that is friendlier, less intimidating and a cooperative member of the international (...)
At first glance, "State of Play has the makings of a typical run-of-the-mill high stakes edge-of-your-seat thriller infused with a good measure of political intrigue, scandal and Washington melodrama.
A young female aide to influential (...)
Three days before he walked out of a Burbank, California theater and bid farewell to "The Tonight Show, which he had hosted for 17 years, Jay Leno made one last jab at Hollywood icon Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He gave the best vocal impersonation yet (...)
Terminator Salvation, the new 'us-versus-machines' blockbuster, immediately presents a number of quandaries.
The title, for example, could signal that this is the concluding opus to the 25-year franchise.
In theological terms, salvation comes (...)
When "Star Trek debuted as a television series in 1966, it was designed to be a Western flick in space; think "Rawhide in the Alpha Quadrant.
But it soon became so much more as writer/producer Gene Roddenberry probed the most pressing issues of (...)