Comments on: Scholar Combatant

By: shahid wahab

shahid wahab — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:38:30 +0000

to write about a history you need to detach yourself from it.you need to have high moral characte ,specially at this age.being a signatory to a letter to clinton is very disappointing add it shows the vision of the signatory who has written 237 books if i am not wrong

By: Salman

Salman — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:26:10 +0000

Juan Cole on Lewis.
“Discerning exactly what Lewis is attempting to explain, and what he thinks the variables are that might explain it, is like trying to nail jelly to the wall.” http://www.juancole.com/essays/revlew.htm

By: Salman

Salman — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:57:57 +0000

Awesome :-)

I had read a critique of Lewis’s work a while back (other than Sa’id’s). You might have already read it but here they are:

http://www.merip.org/mero/interventions/sabra_interv.html

By: thabet

thabet — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Surprised this post hasn’t generated many comments. Then again you’ve covered it quite thoroughly, so that doesn’t leave much scope for comments!

It annoys me that Lewis is often cited as an “expert” in “Islamic history” in the media. Bosworth has written better (Western) histories of Islam.

One other point: Ibn Rushd a historian? How and when?

By: sepoy

sepoy — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ah. I had in mind Rashid ud Din and his Jami√≠at-i Tawarikh and I wrote Ibn Rushd. Thanks for the catch.

By: Josey

Josey — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Lewis relates history through a lens, as all historians do. But his summation of the reason there are no Arab democracies is also why there is so much poverty in many Arab nations; freedom.
Having a few lunches with Mr. Lewis does not make Cheney a neophyte imperialist or prove that Mr. Lewis is the father of the neocons, unless you look through your own distorted lens. Chalabi could just as well have betrayed Lewis as he did Pentagon/State officials if the Iran claims are true. Who knows?
Regardless of which lens you prefer the truth of the human spirit is that it craves freedom to choose. Where does that exist in the Muslim world?
The few success stories suggest that having a little freedom to choose (whether economic or religious choice) would do wonders for the prospects of young men in the middle east.
Oh, the success stories? Turkey and Israel.

By: sepoy

sepoy — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Do the Arab-Israelis in Israel have the freedom to choose? Do the Kurds in Turkey have such choice? Freedom is an odd word to be bandied around.
As for Lewis’ involvement – historical record will know what role he played. For better or worse.