Political Anthropologist|IR (Arab/Saudi/Palestinian Studies—Historiography, Ethnography, Tribe)|Diplomacy, Authoritarian Rule|US Policy | Non Exec Dir UKG | NRS
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Sep 25, 2021 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
Professor Robert Pape, infamous for his groundbreaking studies in terrorism, reasoning and odds, now has a new study.
21 million Americans say Biden is ‘illegitimate’ and Trump should be restored by violence.
21 👏MILLION 👏. Approve of violence.
theconversation.com/21-million-ame…
Specifically, 9% of US adults agree that “Use of force is justified to restore Donald J. Trump to the presidency.
25% either strongly or somewhat agree that "The 2020 election was stolen from" Trump and Biden is "an illegitimate president."
8% share both those views.
Jul 4, 2021 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
Trump 🇺🇸patriotism? In 1905, Trump's grandfather Friedrich begged Prince Luitpold of Bavaria NOT to send him back to the US.
In supplication, Trump began 'Most Serene, Most Powerful Prince Regent! Most Gracious Regent and Lord!'
[Transl.👇]
Full letter: harpers.org/archive/2017/0…2. I was born in Kallstadt on March 14, 1869. My parents were honest, plain, pious vineyard workers. They strictly held me to everything good — to diligence and piety, to regular attendance in school and church, to absolute obedience toward the high authority.
Jan 12, 2021 • 29 tweets • 7 min read
Mere days of inaction can lead to catastrophic consequences.
Let’s revisit 30 days in 1914 that could have — with intergovernmental unity — avoided WWI.
Thread:
On 28th June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in Serbia.
1/
The group behind the killings was The Black Hand Secret Society, formed by Dragutin Dimitrijevi´c, the Serbian Chief of Intelligence.
His goal: create a covert terrorist group using violence to achieve a Greater Serbian state.
2/
Nov 12, 2020 • 18 tweets • 9 min read
2020 had me thinking: was it THIS BAD in the year 1010? What happened then, in that palindrome-year?
Let’s have a look around the world.
The Nile River in #Egypt froze over. Literally froze over.
1 of 18
It was the 2nd time only (the 1st in 829 CE).
English climatologist HH Lamb (1966) deduced Siberian-origin anticyclones blew south and then north, which caused the cold air to contract, get denser, weigh more, and thus increase surface air pressure over the Nile.
Nov 11, 2020 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Who misses this story? A *5,000 year old crystal dagger* discovered in SW Spain.
Archaeologists also unearthed 25 arrowheads and cores of rock crystal.
Also found were decorated human remains, shrouds/clothes made of tens of thousands of perforated and decorated amber beads.
Aug 18, 2020 • 9 tweets • 5 min read
The idea that oleander is the "miracle cure" for COVID is deadly. [See @realMikeLindell on @andersoncooper train wreck interview.]
Here's why (please RT):
Oleander (Lat: Nerium oleander; family Apocynaceae ) is
** the most poisonous plant in the world**.
Every single part of the oleander is toxic. The leaves, stems, and flowers.
They don't just contain 'a' poison. They contain 'MANY' types of poison.
The most potent of these are oleandrin, and neriine.
Oleander will cause dangerous heart arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats).
In 1918, the influenza pandemic — Spanish flu — spread throughout the world. By 1920, ⅓ of the world's population had been contaminated, and 10s of millions died.
Conspiracy theories then (WWI) were rife:
* It was unleashed by the Germans via submarines sailing the world
* It was blamed on foreigners (pick a country: find the 'bad foreigner')
* It was said to be from Spain ('Spanish' = 'bad foreigner') but it originated on a farm in Kansas
* It was a biological weapon linked to Bayer aspirin
Jan 7, 2020 • 27 tweets • 8 min read
Primer 101 on US-Iranian tensions. How did they start?
Thread
Before we begin it’s important to know a couple of points:
* Iran sits between Iraq and Afghanistan
* Iranians are NOT Arabs (neither Iranians nor Arabs like this confusion)
* ~95% are Shi’a — not Sunni — Muslims
* Sunni Muslims comprise ~80% of all Islam
Jan 6, 2020 • 13 tweets • 3 min read
Reporting from inside Tehran #Iran from respected US-Iranian colleague:
"I've been watching the funeral procession for assassinated military leader Qassem Soleimani, killed on orders of President Donald Trump as he was arriving for a meeting with Iraqi authorities in Baghdad...
...there are some indications that do not bode well for American and Western interests, at least as they are currently perceived.
The Iranian response to the funeral was unexpected. President Trump stated that folks in Tehran would celebrate Mr. Soleimani's death. Hardly...
Oct 23, 2019 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
Didn't forget @HC_Richardson, so some info on oil in Syria.
Syria basically has none. What Trump said has absolutely no truth. But there are a bunch of conspiracy theories, which shows how gullible he is when he hears them.
Oil and gas is absolutely irrelevant in Syria:
Oil production has been on the decline in Syria for decades. In the decade prior to 2011 Syria only produced 400k barrels per day. In 2008, Syria’s oil expert vs import had a negative balance. 2/
You think you’re capable of outsmarting #Trump. That the savvy that got you elected will best Trump’s infantile vacuum of knowledge. That you’ll escape this #impeachment fiasco.
You won’t. He’s taking you down. Here’s what will happen to you in life henceforth:
1/
When he’s out of office, you think you’ll have escaped sanction because you’re still standing.
You think the voters will vote for you again because you’ll reshape your next campaign in an attempt to absolve yourself from direct enablement of this criminal White House.
2/
Sep 30, 2019 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
How do dominant political houses of power rise and fall in history? Ibn Khaldun (14th c.) — the 1st sociologist — identified 4 stages:
1st unification under a zealous portion of the population to form a new ‘order’;
2nd consolidation by spreading zeal amongst population;
1/8
3rd prevention of a counter rebellion via a strong economy to ensure the leaders’ longevity;
4th decline/loss of power when the population has tired of promises and zealotry.
2/8
1 of 10 2. The first lesbian documented love story in the Arab world was the long-lived passion between Hind Bint al-Nu’man (known as Al-Hurqah (هند بنت النعمان), and Hind Bint al-Khuss al-Iyadiyyah from Yamama in Arabia, known as al-Zarqa’.
May 17, 2019 • 15 tweets • 6 min read
Given major US news this week, this is a story about LIFE: evolution, man/woman ... and the BEST DAMN WAY to die!
You probably learnt that Charles Darwin was the originator of the theory of natural selection, in “On the Origin of Species” (1859).
Not quite.
Thread 👇1/15 2. 1,000 years before Darwin, Abū ʿUthman al-Baṣrī (known as al-Jāḥiẓ الجاحظ) conceptualised on how environment influenced an evolution of species, in his Kitab al-Hayawan (‘Book of Animals’).
May 9, 2019 • 16 tweets • 11 min read
Thread: Another overview amazing #Muslim *female* achievement.
Did you know the first university in the world was built by a Muslim woman approx 1200 years ago?
1/15 2. Daughter of a wealthy businessman, the family moved from Tunisia to Fez, Morocco during the rule of King Idriss II. When both her husband and father died, Fatima and her sister inherited a fortune.
They chose to spend their inheritance on building educational institutions.
May 6, 2019 • 8 tweets • 4 min read
As it is Ramadan, it would be good to recognise some of the great Muslim inventors of history.
There's a lot of news around the 500-yr anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death, including his first designs of flight. They were never tested or modelled, yet he is credited.
1/8 2. In fact, designs for flight go back to the Greeks.
But the first model and *actual* flight was thanks to Abbas ibn Firnas عباس بن فرناس.
Ibn Firnas was of Berber descent, and born in Andalusia, Spain in 810.
Apr 17, 2019 • 20 tweets • 8 min read
Thread 1/21:
#NotreDame is famed as the grandest Gothic architectural example.
Embodiment of Catholicism and the Crusades, did you know it stems from the Arab world, specifically #Islamic?
It’s an interesting story that goes back to 7th c Jerusalem.
In 621 Prophet Muhammad was said to have flown from Mecca to Jerusalem to heaven and back in 1 night.
One of the most pivotal events in Islam, Al Isra' wal Miraj (Night Journey & Ascension to Heaven) is observed on the 27th of the 7th month (Islamic calendar).
Mar 18, 2019 • 15 tweets • 6 min read
Tarrant's inspiration 👇 (Thread)
1 (of 15) Tarrant’s manifesto (pp 74) is clearly modelled on Anders Breivik's (pp 1,500) – all very tedious and familiar.
The ‘atfa was the 'cradle' of camel bones, and inside was piled with blankets and pillows. Curtains would surround for privacy, and when moving it felt like gentle rocking.
Many Bedouin women gave birth whilst on migration in this way. @Literature_Lady
Here's one of the 'afta's with decorations and curtains, ready to close when needed.
Contrary to belief, the Bedouins all kept dogs as pets too! #Bedouin#SaudiArabia