The Culture of Tyranny

[meanwhile, from the 'West'...]

The ancient city of Damascus received another mark of recognition last week: UNESCO last week designated Damascus as the Arab Capital of Culture for 2008.

Damascus serves as the headquarters of a long list of designated terrorist organizations, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), and an alphabet soup of smaller organizations similarly committed to the practice of violence against civilians. Syria has successfully defended its position at the top of the USA's list of "countries supporting terrorism" since 1979.

The new Capital of Culture and Resistance also, according to U.S. defense and intelligence reports, maintains an active chemical weapons program. Other reports suggest that Syria was clandestinely working on a nuclear program when these efforts were halted by a successful Israeli attack in September, 2007. [a few months ago]

Thus, the 'culture of resistance' means acts of terror against civilians, the deliberate subversion of the governments of neighboring countries, the assassination of political opponents and the apparent attempt to stockpile weapons of mass destruction. One wonders if this is what UNESCO -- which describes its own goal as 'to build peace in the minds of men' had in mind.

The title of 'Arab capital of culture' is currently held by the capital of one of the most brutal and lawless regimes in the world. Arab culture - which has given so much of lasting beauty and value to humanity - surely deserves a better representative.

[UNsalvageable]

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