The Arab civilization, like many other civilizations, once reigned at a cultural and intellectual apogee, but subsequently lost this position and found itself close to the lowest rungs of the civilizational hierarchy. However, the civilization has not completely lost the spirit that once made it indisputably great. If the region has lost its bearings in the turbulent contemporary world of technological unfamiliarity and moral ambiguity, then it needs to reach out to its past and bring back the principles of free enquiry and tolerance advocated by its faith, and find its way once again to the shore.

One of the most vital, yet elusive questions of our time is what went wrong in the relationship between the Muslims and the West.

We have entered the age of inconclusive wars, said Ambassador Hesham Youssef, a key official of the League of Arab States. He was speaking at a workshop Strategic Foresight Group had jointly organised with SMWIPM Institute of Peace Studies at Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt in August this year. The war in Lebanon had sparked massive rage all over the Middle East. The US might have declared victory in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but they are still very active killing fields. Most significantly, there is a war of terrorism and a war on terror.

About a year ago, I read an interesting article by Prof Niall Ferguson, drawing parallels between the period leading to the First World War and the current global scenario. More recently, I read his book The Pity of War, which analyses factors contributing to the First World War, including some reasons which have not been discussed much but which are very convincing. He makes a very persuasive argument that the First World War was a major error of the modern era. More significantly, it was an error that could have been avoided.

Prof Niall Ferguson's Colossus is very strong in intellectual vigour. It is rather weak in its moral persuasion.

Eliot Weinberger's book 9/12: New York After is a series of essays, which he refers to as snapshots, of his personal impression; and the political reactions and consequences he expected in the days after 9/11.