Syria’s rivers are polluted and overdrawn, its forests depleted, and its wildlife decimated. In a new commentary, @zfshuker.bsky.social writes that Syria’s environmental catastrophe is much more than an aesthetic crisis. In fact, it poses direct threats to its economy and stability.

Conflict in the region is never good for Iraq, and I frankly think any Iraqi cheering for war as a mean for political change, rather than organic civil sphere development, is not good people.

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/u... Escalations are never good, especially for Iraq in its election season.

With my favorites.

I have deleted all social media apps (for now) excepte this one. And the withdrawal symptoms are real. It’s fascinating and depressing how we came to relay on our phones and social media to waste time to the point of addiction.

Oil prices have been down to $60, and aside from the PM statement to the press that we need to develop the economy, #Iraq remains unengaged in any meaningful economic reforms. It is remarkable how dependent the country is on oil and how underprepared it is to invest in its oil.

A very improtant article on the hybrid US regime in the making reader.foreignaffairs.com/2025/02/11/t...

Things started really going downhill for academia when many academics stopped reading, writing, and engaging effectively with theory and philosophy.

Recent news that the great Michael Burawoy was killed in a hit and run! Truly life is absurd and meaningless.

Amazing piece.

I am technologically regressing. There was a time where I could use a kindle to read and a computer to write. Now, physical books and a notebook and a pen or nothing is getting done. Slowly heading to cave art as a form of expression.

One of the most painful developments in Baghdad is the complete disappearance of the architectural identity of the city. Not only the new buildings are environmentally and socially damaging, they also an erasure of the historical memory of the society. This is 💯 intentional.

“Businessmen became politicians and were acclaimed as statesmen, while statesmen were taken seriously only if they talked the language of successful businessmen.” Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism

On the eve of going back to campus and teaching grad and undergrad theory, I remind myself and my students that: "Theories are nets cast to catch what we call ‘the world’: to rationalize, to explain, and to master it. We endeavour to make the mesh ever finer and finer." Popper

"ومن هذه التعديلات، حذف وحدة "أصل التطور والحياة" من كتاب العلوم. وحذف "الفكر الفلسفي الصيني" من كتاب الفلسفة في الصف الأول الثانوي، ودروس وصفحات كاملة من مقررات الفلسفة في منهاج الثانوي. " arabic.cnn.com/middle-east/...

Lots of different reading projects for the holidays. Finally getting to Intermezzo.

Syria sanctions could torpedo a historic moment, writes CI director @tcambanis.bsky.social. The Biden admin can, in its final days, lift the U.S. designation of HTS & issue licenses or waivers to aid reconstruction.

Resources as a weapon.

Starting this journey here by recommending this great book I am reading now that is half travel guide/half philosophical textbook, my two favorite things.