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This article is a symposium in which nine political activists on the Left expound on their stand regarding the planned United States' war against Iraq. Most of the members of the symposium argue against the war in light of current political conditions in the United States.

This article examines the victimhood and victimization that has characterized the Arab world since the end of the Ottoman Empire. The author, seeking to understand the September 11th attacks, discusses the history of war and politics in the Middle East and American involvement and argues Muslims and Arabs must not tolerate terrorism if they ever want peace.

An abridged version of the introduction of the new edition of the 'Republic of Fear,' is presented. Published by scholar Kanan Makiya, the Republic of Fear focuses on the tragedy that has befallen Iraq since the Persian Gulf War. It also discusses the various facets associated with Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, such as his cruelty, relentlessness to persecute his opponents and human rights violations.

The Arab feeling of shame associated with changing nationality reflects the degenerated intellectual debate in the Arab world and the West about the Arab search for identity. The emerging inward-looking sensibility faces resistance because even the Arab writers who live as naturalized citizens in the West lacked the conviction to decry Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The recognition and subsequent acceptance of human weakness is the first step to rediscovering Arab identity.

Fouad Moughrabi's review of 'Cruelty and Silence' is based on personal attacks and baseless accusations. He has apparently misunderstood the thesis of the book, which focuses more on the silence of secular nationalist intellectuals who acquiesced in the gross cruelties that have been going on inside Iraq and other parts of the Arab world for a quarter of a century. It is also about matters that have caused a rift between Palestinians and anti-Ba'th Iraqis since Saddam Hussein entered Kuwait.

The article comments on the U.S.-led Iraq War and the prospects for politics and government in Iraq in the future. It is expected that the coming years will show whether the intervention of the U.S. in Iraq will bring the Arab world its first modern constitutional democracy or instigate a protracted civil war and disintegration in Iraq.

Addresses questions regarding Islam's migration toward tolerance in the face of the West's parallel move toward pluralism. Possible alternatives; Articles by Kanan Makiya; Tahar Ben Jalloun; Fourazi Charfi and Tariq Banuri.

An excerpt from the book "Cruelty and Silence: War, Tyranny, Uprising and the Arab World," by Kanan Makiya is presented.