Tariq Ali's Blog, page 30

An Elegy to Fatherland – Night of the Golden Butterfly reviewed by Razeshta Sethna for the Karachi Herald

Night of the Golden Butterfly reviewed by Razeshta Sethna for the Herald (Karachi), July 6, 2010

In his latest novel, Tariq Ali traces the relationship between Islam and the West through tumultuous times. The story in Night of the Golden Butterfly begins in present-day "Fatherland"—an unmistakable reference to Pakistan—and travels through China and Europe.

The central theme of the novel, which is Ali's latest offering as part of his Islam Quintet, revolves around four friends: Dara, Zahid...

The Obama Syndrome

Forthcoming from Verso, October 2010

A merciless dissection of Obama's overseas escalation and domestic retreat …

What has really changed since Bush left the White House? Very little, argues Ali in The Obama Syndrome, apart from the mood music. The hopes aroused during Obama's election campaign have rapidly receded. Following the financial crisis, the "reform" president bailed out Wall Street without getting anything in return. With Democratic Party leaders and representatives bought by the...

Obama Syndrome

Stone, Ali, and Weisbrot respond to attack from the New York Times' Larry Rohter

The following letter was sent to The New York Times by Tariq Ali, Oliver Stone and Mark Weisbrot in response to a grossly distorted account of their new film 'South of the Border'by Larry Rohter, a one time backer of the 2002 coup attempt.

Larry Rohter attacks our film, "South of the Border," for "mistakes, misstatements and missing details."  But a close examination of the details reveals that the mistakes, misstatements, and missing details are his own, and that the film is factually...

Portland Oregonian reviews Night of the Golden Butterfly

Night of the Golden Butterfly reviewed by Lydia Beyoud for the Portland Oregonian, June 26, 2010

Sicily, Spain, Istanbul, Jerusalem. For over a quarter-century, Tariq Ali has been transporting readers to Muslim lands through the historical novels of his Islam Quintet. In them, the staunchly leftist British-Pakistani filmmaker and historian marries tales of art, political intrigue, and sensuality with his particular blend of invective, highbrow intellectualism and bawdy humor.

Though Ali's...

Tariq Ali reviews Gilbert Achcar's excellent new book 'The Arabs and the Holocaust'

Tariq Ali reviews The Arabs and the Holocaust by Gilbert Achcar for the Guardian, June 26, 2010

Tariq Ali applauds an attempt to analyse the Arab-Israeli conflict

"Since the fourth century after Christ," wrote the late Raul Hillberg in his masterwork, The Destruction of the European Jews, "there have been three anti-Jewish policies: conversion, expulsion, and annihilation. The second appeared as an alternative to the first, and the third emerged as an alternative to the second." What this...

Tariq Ali joins Oliver Stone on Democracy Now to launch 'South of the Border'

Tariq Ali and Oliver Stone speak to Amy Goodman on Democracy Now about the new film, 'South of the Border', June 21, 2010

Matthew Rothschild talks to Tariq Ali about the new film 'South of the Border'

Tariq Ali interviewed about 'South of the Border' for The Progressive, June, 2010

Listen to the interview here

Breaking the Siege of Gaza – Tariq Ali speaks at Socialism 2010

'Breaking the Siege of Gaza', Tariq Ali speaks at Socialism 2010 alongside Kevin Ovenden, Gilbert Achcar and Ahmed Shawki, June 18, 2010

With thanks to We Are Many for the video footage.

Tariq Ali Speaks Out Against Israel's Assault on Gaza Flotilla

Tariq Ali speaks on the siege of Gaza and Israel's assault on the Gaza Flotilla at a protest in London, May 31, 2010

"We must push for economic sanctions against Israel."—Tariq Ali