Word: arabism
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...significance of the struggle between the Marxist factions, which has both ideological and tribal overtones, is equally murky. Former President Ismail is a Moscow-line ideologue who caused endless mischief for his more conservative Arab neighbors. He was succeeded in 1980 by Muhammad, a pragmatist who sought closer ties with neighboring North Yemen, Oman and Saudi Arabia...
...they managed to cash in the stone, and invest the proceeds in a dreamy little sloop moored off some idyllic island paradise. And gosh darn, everything would be just fine if Joan (Kathleen Turner) just hadn't accepted that offer from Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome Omar-the-Arab (Spiros Focas) to write his biography. Now Jack (Michael Douglas) is all upset--jealous, just like a man--and their blissful little tryst comes to an end as Joan flies off to North Africa to observe Omar in his natural habitat and Jack huffs and puffs all the way back...
...BIGGEST STUMBLING block to enjoying this film is the difficulty that you will undoubtedly encounter in correctly understanding it. As far as I can remember, the film's plot involved the aforementioned good-looking Arab trying to garner the favour of his people by convincing them that he possesses bizarre mystical and religious powers. (Precisely why he wishes to establish himself as a figure of such supreme adulation is left unclear, but let's just assume that life, liberty, and the pursuit of an American Express Platinum Card have something to do with it.) Because he, of course...
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS remain deaf to all this reasoning. They seem to prefer continued strong ties to the "hard-line" Arab states and favor leaving the role of "terrorism policeman" to the United States. But the time may come when Americans balk at this burden, and the time may also come when Europeans find themselves extremely vulnerable to more than just terrorism. Continued appeasement of men like Khadafy entails many risks, not the least of which is the strengthening of radical hands in the Arab balance of power...
...Libya has overspent its petrodollars and lost some of its oil market share, when Europe and the U.S. are strong. Europe should no longer subsidize Moammar Khadafy's near-insane drive for power. Our major allies fear the economic and military power of Palestinian fringe groups and the radical Arab states so much, and want to maintain their economic ties so badly, that their regional foreign policy has been nearly paralyzed. This is cause not just for disappointment that a golden opportunity is being lost, but for alarm that men like Khadafy see no end to their blank check...