Today’s Zaman, Sunday, March 27, 2011 Convergence of interests and values by Parvez Ahmed* It happens once in a blue moon — the convergence of Western military action with Arab and Muslim public opinion. The last time we witnessed such convergence was during the US-led interventions in the Balkans, which stopped an ethnic cleansing and eventually brought...

Today’s Zaman (Turkey). Feb 21, 2011 Abuse of Women is Sadly Endemic Parvez Ahmed Amidst all the euphoria about Egypt’s peaceful revolution, the news of CBS news reporter Lara Logan being sexually assaulted hits like a ton of bricks. The people of Egypt, especially its youth, have been such an inspiration that any hint of deviant behavior understandably...

Today’s Zaman, Feb 3, 2011 We are all Egyptians now I am mesmerized by the peaceful popular uprisings calling for the end of three decades of dictatorial rule in Egypt. Often the news from the Muslim world is depressing. Not today. The impact of this is still unknown. But one thing is unmistakably clear: We are all Egyptians now. The young voices from Egypt...

NY Times Photo Gallery on Egypt Protest Huffington Post, Feb 1, 2011 Florida Times Union, Feb 2, 2011 A Sputnik Moment for U.S. Foreign Policy The Jasmine Revolution has led to the ouster of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the autocratic leader of Tunisia and has sparked similar revolutionary fervor from Algeria to Egypt. The success in Tunisia has emboldened protestors...

On Oct 9, 2010, the Clay County chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State organized a lecture on “Is Islam Compatible with American Values?” I was invited to speak at the Fleming Island Public Library. What happened at the event is well summarized in a letter to the editor by Rev. Harry Parrott, President of the local chapter of AU....

In Huffington Post. Let us get one thing correct — Helen Thomas, Rick Sanchez, Octavia Nasr and Juan Williams are neither racists nor bigots. By all accounts they are good journalists. But by expressing negative stereotypes about a racial or religious group they are guilty of breaching the ethics of fairness, crucial ingredients to succeed in journalism. Thus...