Is the Trump Rally a Financial Bubble or Real Growth?

Trump has been taking credit for the rapidly rising stock market, which Wall Street has termed the "Trump Rally." The rally, and the boom in the capital market that followed the 2008 financial crisis, is deceptive, and does not really reflect any meaningful economic growth. It, indeed, hides the real problem that inflict the US economy, the increasingly excessive greed that plagues the financial market and the business conglomerates that  seem to be more interested in creating private wealth than growing the economy. The problem is not limited to the US but has a global dimension.

What Makes America Great?

Donald Trump came to power on the slogan of "making America great again." The question we need all to ask is what makes America great? Trump did not take the time to articulate what exactly makes America great, and no one took the time to demand that this question be clarified.

It does not take hard thinking to discover that what makes America great is indeed the commitment of the American people to the ideals of freedom, equality, and fairness. This simply means that Trump cannot make America great again when he ignores the values and principles that made it exceptional in the first place.

Responding to Texas Legislator's Misrepresentation

On January 11, 2017, a letter signed by Kyle Biedermann, Texas House representative, and cosigned by two Far Right activists, was sent to Muslim leaders in Texas asking them to “renounce, repudiate and oppose any physical intimidation, or worldly and corporal punishment, to apostates who leave Islam.” The letter cited me among Muslim authorities who advocate capital punishment for apostates, and quoted a brief statement from my book Peace and the Limits of War as an evidence of my alleged death-to-apostate position.

Aside from the fact that the letter is offensive, intimidating, and designed to support an initiative by Far-Right groups, it distorts both my views and the reality of the overwhelming majority of Muslim Americans. This is not the first time that my views were distorted by individuals who harbor dislike and hatred of Islam and Muslims, and who are bent on distorting Islam's teachings and demonize its adherents. I have had a long confrontation with various members of the Far Right during my association with the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) and Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and throughout the Bush Jr. Administration.

Making Sense of Trump’s Immigration Policy Through the Lens of Bannon’s Populist Conservatism

Donald Trump made it clear during his presidential campaign, and right after assuming the office, that he is serious about making it difficult for Muslims and Latinos to come to, and stay in, the United States. Trump’s statements and actions must be understood in the context of the rise of the populist conservative movement, represented in the Trump administration by his senior advisor Steve Bannon. 

Against the March of Humanity

What we are witnessing today is the rise of regressive domestic and global agendas in the US and Europe to reverse human progress. These frantic efforts to undermine a progressive agenda that started to empower individuals, communities, societies who were not part of the privileged culture is doomed to failure.

Internal Colonialism and Counter-Revolution

"When an elite ruling class controls state institutions and resources and uses them for its own benefit, this can be called ″internal colonialism″. Such systems exist in their worst form in the Arab world. The Syrian author Louay Safi believes, however, that all signs indicate that the Arab peoples will rid themselves of this colonialism and that the repressive military regimes will be smothered by their own crimes and corruption."

It is Dictatorship Stupid!

The US presidential inauguration ceremony is a reminder of how precious democracy is and how invaluable is life under the rule of law. For over 200 years peaceful transfer of power took place, even in most politically divisive times, like the one we have today in the inauguration of Donald Trump.

Being involved in the last few years with efforts to facilitate and support transition to democracy in Syria, I have been appalled to witness the ugly face of military dictatorships violently crushing even the slightest demands for genuine political participation.