Recently, I read the article “Revisiting Arab glory: In the footsteps of a trailblazer” by Aijaz Zaka Syed. The piece discussed at length about Sir Wilfred Thesiger. I wish I could share the author’s optimism. I can just approve about the curse of oil and remember great poet Nizar Qabbani’s opinion about the tradition of treason, nowadays of mass murder. I hope I am wrong. — Walid Joumblatt, by e-mail