This is a poem I wrote a couple of weeks ago. It was inspired by people I know in southern Lebanon who have had their homes destroyed more than once by the IDF over the decades.

"Somethin' Stupid" is the only Robbie Williams song that is not annoyingly British.

In Derna, Libya. Derna and the valleys and plateau north of the city in Jabel Akhdar are known for their violet flowers.

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The decentralized boycotts we have seen in Mena are the closest we have to civil society action in these countries where civil society is already ruthlessly suppressed and vast surveillance regimes rule.

The best thing Lebanon can do for the Arab world (like Tunisia) is to be a democratic example acting as a pressure mechanism for political openings in much larger, more important Arab countries.

If I am to recommend people two books for understanding current Libya [beyond actively following the country's developments] I'd recommend Genocide In Libya by Ali Abdullatif Ahmida and Burning Shores Inside The Battle For The New Libya by Frederich Wehry.

First post on here.