The Middle East Doesn’t Need More Armchair Experts

Western pundits speak with confidence but not consequence. That’s the problem.

I recently watched Douglas Murray and Dave Smith discuss the Middle East on The Joe Rogan Experience, and I couldn’t shake a familiar frustration: once again, two men were dissecting a region they don’t speak the languages of, don’t live in, and—most crucially—don’t have to endure the fallout of their ideas.

About the Author

Faisal Al Mutar

Faisal Al Mutar

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar is a social entrepreneur and founder of Ideas Beyond Borders, an organization advancing free thought, innovation, and policy reform in the Middle East. He has spoken on global platforms including TED and has been recognized with the President’s Volunteer Service Award by Barack Obama and an honorary doctorate from Whittier College.