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MEMRI Daily: June 3, 2011 -

Prominent Saudi Journalist: "Where Are the Founding Fathers of the 'Arab Spring?'";

Syrian Liberal Intellectual Compares Al-Assad to 'the Godfather'

The following are reports published today from MEMRI’s Special Dispatch Series and the MEMRI TV Project about a Saudi journalist critizing the Arab uprisings as not being truly democratic anda Syrian liberal comparing Bashar Al-Assad to "the Godfather".

Special Dispatch No. 3887—Saudi Arabia/Democratization and Reform in the Arab and Muslim World

Prominent Saudi Journalist: "Where Are the Founding Fathers of the 'Arab Spring?'"

In a May 19, 2011 op-ed in the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, titled "Where Are the Founding Fathers of the 'Arab Spring?'" Adel Al-Toraifi explains that despite the much-acclaimed "Arab Spring," there is no "genuine change in the ideas or characters of the region." He adds, "The 'Arab Spring' has no founding fathers – because [it] is not based on progressive, enlightened thought," and concludes by quoting Thomas Jefferson. According to the paper, Al-Toraifi is editor-in-chief of the Arab magazine Al-Majalla.

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5341.htm.

Special Dispatch 3888—Syria

Syrian Liberal Intellectual Muhyi Al-Din Al-Ladhaqani Compares Al-Assad to 'the Godfather' and States: "We Are Facing a Vague 'Democracy,' Adopted by All Those Who Do Not Believe in Democracy"

Following are excerpts from an interview with Syrian liberal intellectual Muhyi Al-Din Al-Ladhaqiya, which aired on Al-Arabiya TV on May 19, 2011.

To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2948.htm

Muhyi Al-Din Al-Ladhaqiya: "I don't know why, but the Al-Assad family reminds me of the story of 'The Godfather.' Al-Assad Sr. groomed his eldest son [Bassel] to be his heir, but the eldest son was killed in an accident. So the second son – just like in the case of the godfather, the Mafia leader - inherited the leadership of the family and of the Mafia. The same thing happened in the Al-Assad family..."

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5342.htm