Author Archives: jonathancuriel
My True/Slant Blog Posts
From March of 2009 to July of 2010, I wrote more than 100 blog posts for True/Slant.com, a news venture that featured select journalists, authors and pundits from around the United States. My blog was titled ‘Round the World We … Continue reading
The Muslim cleric who condemned 9/11: A recollection of Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah
Two months after 9/11, I was in a Beirut hotel when my telephone rang. It was Hezbollah calling. I had given them my room number earlier in the week, and they were finally contacting me, to arrange an interview with … Continue reading
Sad but true: Americans know little about the war in Afghanistan
June was another brutal month in Afghanistan. More than 100 soldiers lost their lives. Scores of Afghan civilians were killed. A country that has seen war and bloodshed for almost 10 years is still no closer to peace, despite billions … Continue reading
The house that genocide built: Why Rwanda is still worth worrying about
Somalia. Sudan. Iraq. Afghanistan. Pakistan. Haiti. North Korea. Lebanon. Iran. All these countries top Rwanda in the latest Failed States Index. (In 2009, Rwanda was ranked No. 49.) All these countries have long eclipsed Rwanda for the world’s attention. The … Continue reading
In Iran and around the world, Neda Agha-Soltan lives on in unforgettable documentary
She apparently kept teddy bears in her bedroom, even at age 27, but as a teenager, Neda Agha-Soltan rebelled against the Iranian government’s strict dress codes, unafraid to tell authority figures, “no.” Neda Agha-Soltan could be paradoxical. Small details about … Continue reading
How soccer-phobic Americans can learn to love the World Cup
Yesterday’s U.S.-England soccer match-up was just a few minutes old when an American viewer made a grand pronouncement: The tie game was a royal bore. “A waste of 90 minutes,” declared Dennis Cao. “I might as well have not watched … Continue reading
Despite flotilla deaths, peace in the Holy Land is still in view
They floated along Israel’s coastline, then came ashore – and when members of the PLO’s Fatah faction were through, more than 20 Israelis (including children) had been killed. Days later, Israeli troops entered Lebanon in what the New York Times … Continue reading
How to get your doodle on Google’s homepage
Today, it’s a flag with a yellow ribbon and the words, “In honor of the soldiers who have given their lives for our country.” Ten days ago, it was the Pac-Man video game. Two weeks earlier, it was a ballet … Continue reading
Dennis Hopper’s drug issues are spotlighted high up in his obit. Is that necessary?
What was it like to live in the 1940s and ‘50s? You can get clues by watching TV shows like “Leave It To Beaver,” or you can read old newspapers from the period and see how celebrities were covered in … Continue reading
Jonathan Curiel's Blog 