Left should be redefined

The dramatic change in the region has exposed an unprecedented degree of leftist failure.

Not only the leftist rhetoric proved to be outdated, leftist activists have displayed short-sightedness and incompetence in understanding what was going on around them.

The overwhelming American power made leftists forget about the region's internal decay and whenever in doubt, they blamed America.

The US is certainly an imperial force that aims at exploiting the resources of the region, but it is non sense to blame the Americans alone for the state of regression the people of this region is living in.

The situation of these peoples worsened with the ever rising tide of extremists, whether religious or national chauvinists, winning popular grounds.

The Arab left should learn that the rising level of religious fanaticism threatens freedom, democracy and the growth of this region inasmuch as the Americans endanger the welfare of the Middle East.

On the other side of the spectrum, the left should also be skeptical when dealing with national chauvinists who are striving to promote concepts of "sovereignty" and "independence" in a way that belongs to the mid-twentieth century national rhetoric.

Leftist ideology in itself should also be revised. Gone are the days of "secret work," "military struggle" and the days of the rule of intelligence apparatesus. Battles are fought today via media, think tanks and respective lobbies.

Unfortunately, the Arabs came late to understand, that is if they have ever come at all, that struggle has several ways, the least effective of them today is direct combat.