Egyptian-Canadian novelist and author Omar El Akkad reckons with the genocide in Gaza through personal stories of the past and analysis of the present in this episode of The Chris Hedges Report.
"One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This".
Will they?
To give one example, the architects of the War On Iraq are to this day hailed as Serious Thinkers and Foreign Policy Heavyweights, while those who opposed the war were cast into Outer Darkness.
When you say the architects of the war on Iraq are to this day hailed as Serious Thinkers, who are you referring to, because my perspective of the people who implemented that war are the same as those that implemented all of our Middle Eastern wars and are responsible for the continued carnage in play now.
Agree, and he, and many others like Rumsfeld and even Georgie's brother Jeff were signed on to the Project for a New American Century. Other countries were on their hit list and didn't we hit them all, and for who's benefit? Israel. I see the genocide in Gaza as little more then an extension of what was planned so long ago by Netanyahu and his supporters in this country who from the beginning told him to rip up the Oslo accords, , and I'm thinking of Richard Perle and his Clean Break. Here's a perfect example of all those Arabs just don't count, and no wonder implementing a genocide is just a continuation of a despicable mindset.
The idea that the War On Iraq was over oil is laughable. Saddam Hussein not only would have been delighted to be able to sell all the oil he could pump for dollars on world markets, the UN instituted an oil embargo to prevent him from doing precisely that. Remember the "oil for food" program?
That war was conducted at the behest of Israel. I wish I did not have to write those words, as they attract raving loonies, but the facts are what they are.
I know, the whole thing was nothing more then a con job, and he had these weapons of mass destruction. I went to lecture at the time given by Scott Ritter who said no weapons of mass destruction. So many lies. I don't care what they think when I'm critical of Israel.
It's not that I care what people think, I just hate it when I write something and I attract the attention of idiots, either the kind that insist that even the most muted criticism of Israel is indistinguishable from Julius Striecher's rants, to bona fide antisemites who sould like one of Julius Streicher's rants.
Ah yes, nice artistic liberals beginning their gatherings with "this is ____ (Ohlone, Duwamish, Lenape, Creek, et al.) land." As if the local indigenous nations were no longer there to speak for themselves. And implying like those gathered, the so-named also think of the land as owned property.
Very few, unlike the indigenous, have any knowledge of the local ecosystem. Or about how trees are cooperatives, growing in symbiosis with fungi interconnected with plant roots. These "nice" people live on top of the land, with no roots in it, thus no feel for it. The attitude of colonists.
That image of "like Chinooks over the mountain" startled me. In my Native Pac NW, a chinook is an unusual east wind event that piles over the Cascade Mountains, gathering momentum through adiabatic heating. The result is severe damage, even to mature trees and well built human structures.
But a Chinook is also the CH-47 Boeings (yes, 's', it's a localism) heavy transport military helicopter. Seeing those come over the mountains means piling up the equipment for yet another barbaric, devastating war.
Poor you. In Alberta a chinook is a warm wind that offers a brief respite to winter. It comes over the Rockies from the coast..creats a lovely arch in the western sky.......and if a warm wind.
There are different types. But the term itself is from the Chinook people from along the Columbia river between OR and WA. A prime trade route between interior and coast; they have always had a reputation as skilled negotiators.
I'll read this later, but for now, I have to comment. YES.
Most are looking away, claiming helplessness, or justifying 'self defence' against little children.......but the day is coming....a year or two from now.......when we'll all claim we marched with the victims of genocide.
I wish we'd taken a few pictures of the year we spent our weekends ruining what's left of our mobility on the cold streets of Calgary.....but I'll testify.
The most we got out was a few hundred.......while across the street from us, crazy Jewish supporters were waving flags that said :::OUR LOVE IS GREATER THAN YOUR HATE.
It still feels like a fever hallucination, when I recall it....but they waved it in our faces for a good couple of months. Wish I'd taken a picture of that also.
But I live my politics, I don't photgraph them. Stupid of me perhaps.
For me this interview and the person, Egyptian-Canadian novelist and author Omar El Akkad is one of your BEST! A relief to listen who publicly stands up, to know he exists!
I feel like watching this conversation over and over until I memorize all the parts of sorrow, awareness, hopeful thought, rage, guilt, and whatever the hell else surfaces for me. I am forwarding it on to any and all. They can choose to listen or not.
I would just like profusely thank you for being my teacher. Your books, interviews and written pieces are so informative. I’m a Canadian who loves your work.
Thank you, Mr Hedges and Mr El Akkad. I ordered the book, looking forward to it.
Great insights from such a kind, perceptive, articulate individual.
I'm reminded of the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation, a few thousand brave fighters backed up at great risk by a few civilians. After the war, it turns out millions, if not all, were Resistance fighters. Not to pick on the French particularly, we all do it. Hell, if everyone who claimed to have brave the mud and rain at Woodstock were actually there, there would have millions in the crowd.
Thank you so much for this interview. I've read American War and What a Strange Paradise.
I remember hearing a CBC interview with Omar regarding American War and being struck by his thoughtfulness and humanity at the time and he has only become.... more.
"One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This".
Will they?
To give one example, the architects of the War On Iraq are to this day hailed as Serious Thinkers and Foreign Policy Heavyweights, while those who opposed the war were cast into Outer Darkness.
When you say the architects of the war on Iraq are to this day hailed as Serious Thinkers, who are you referring to, because my perspective of the people who implemented that war are the same as those that implemented all of our Middle Eastern wars and are responsible for the continued carnage in play now.
To give but one example, look at Dick Cheney, who went from Team D Folk Devil Number One to a Bona Fide Hero Of Muh Democracy.
And yes, those same neocons are responsible for the current carnage, but this doesn't get them on the naughty list of anybody important.
Agree, and he, and many others like Rumsfeld and even Georgie's brother Jeff were signed on to the Project for a New American Century. Other countries were on their hit list and didn't we hit them all, and for who's benefit? Israel. I see the genocide in Gaza as little more then an extension of what was planned so long ago by Netanyahu and his supporters in this country who from the beginning told him to rip up the Oslo accords, , and I'm thinking of Richard Perle and his Clean Break. Here's a perfect example of all those Arabs just don't count, and no wonder implementing a genocide is just a continuation of a despicable mindset.
The idea that the War On Iraq was over oil is laughable. Saddam Hussein not only would have been delighted to be able to sell all the oil he could pump for dollars on world markets, the UN instituted an oil embargo to prevent him from doing precisely that. Remember the "oil for food" program?
That war was conducted at the behest of Israel. I wish I did not have to write those words, as they attract raving loonies, but the facts are what they are.
I know, the whole thing was nothing more then a con job, and he had these weapons of mass destruction. I went to lecture at the time given by Scott Ritter who said no weapons of mass destruction. So many lies. I don't care what they think when I'm critical of Israel.
It's not that I care what people think, I just hate it when I write something and I attract the attention of idiots, either the kind that insist that even the most muted criticism of Israel is indistinguishable from Julius Striecher's rants, to bona fide antisemites who sould like one of Julius Streicher's rants.
This brought me to tears. For goodness sake. I'm a 75 year old man..
Oh, and BTW - Mr El-Akkad, what a mind. I must get the book.
And still able to cry. Lucky.
Ah yes, nice artistic liberals beginning their gatherings with "this is ____ (Ohlone, Duwamish, Lenape, Creek, et al.) land." As if the local indigenous nations were no longer there to speak for themselves. And implying like those gathered, the so-named also think of the land as owned property.
Very few, unlike the indigenous, have any knowledge of the local ecosystem. Or about how trees are cooperatives, growing in symbiosis with fungi interconnected with plant roots. These "nice" people live on top of the land, with no roots in it, thus no feel for it. The attitude of colonists.
That image of "like Chinooks over the mountain" startled me. In my Native Pac NW, a chinook is an unusual east wind event that piles over the Cascade Mountains, gathering momentum through adiabatic heating. The result is severe damage, even to mature trees and well built human structures.
But a Chinook is also the CH-47 Boeings (yes, 's', it's a localism) heavy transport military helicopter. Seeing those come over the mountains means piling up the equipment for yet another barbaric, devastating war.
Poor you. In Alberta a chinook is a warm wind that offers a brief respite to winter. It comes over the Rockies from the coast..creats a lovely arch in the western sky.......and if a warm wind.
We love it.
There are different types. But the term itself is from the Chinook people from along the Columbia river between OR and WA. A prime trade route between interior and coast; they have always had a reputation as skilled negotiators.
ANd here's how parochial some of us
Big Thinkers actually are: I had no idea anyone had a chinook wind but us!!!
Hate to admit it, but we Albertans may just be 'copy cats'!
I'll read this later, but for now, I have to comment. YES.
Most are looking away, claiming helplessness, or justifying 'self defence' against little children.......but the day is coming....a year or two from now.......when we'll all claim we marched with the victims of genocide.
I wish we'd taken a few pictures of the year we spent our weekends ruining what's left of our mobility on the cold streets of Calgary.....but I'll testify.
The most we got out was a few hundred.......while across the street from us, crazy Jewish supporters were waving flags that said :::OUR LOVE IS GREATER THAN YOUR HATE.
It still feels like a fever hallucination, when I recall it....but they waved it in our faces for a good couple of months. Wish I'd taken a picture of that also.
But I live my politics, I don't photgraph them. Stupid of me perhaps.
For me this interview and the person, Egyptian-Canadian novelist and author Omar El Akkad is one of your BEST! A relief to listen who publicly stands up, to know he exists!
I feel like watching this conversation over and over until I memorize all the parts of sorrow, awareness, hopeful thought, rage, guilt, and whatever the hell else surfaces for me. I am forwarding it on to any and all. They can choose to listen or not.
Thank you for voicing thoughts and emotions that I was sure of and felt so strongly but couldn’t put into words. Till now.
Very fine interview
I would just like profusely thank you for being my teacher. Your books, interviews and written pieces are so informative. I’m a Canadian who loves your work.
This is such an important interview . This is also affecting other people of color in this society
Thank you, Mr Hedges and Mr El Akkad. I ordered the book, looking forward to it.
Great insights from such a kind, perceptive, articulate individual.
I'm reminded of the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation, a few thousand brave fighters backed up at great risk by a few civilians. After the war, it turns out millions, if not all, were Resistance fighters. Not to pick on the French particularly, we all do it. Hell, if everyone who claimed to have brave the mud and rain at Woodstock were actually there, there would have millions in the crowd.
Thank you so much for this interview. I've read American War and What a Strange Paradise.
I remember hearing a CBC interview with Omar regarding American War and being struck by his thoughtfulness and humanity at the time and he has only become.... more.
I got my new book on the way thank you
Brilliant. Looking forward to reading the book.
I loved this. Thank You.