Discovering MENA and other thoughts

In my last article , I underlined the importance of protecting and respecting freedom of speech. But, as it often happens with most freedoms and rights, there is a limit not to be crossed. And where does that line (not talking about the one Mr Morsi referred to last week) stand? Well, now we all have the chance to reflect about that, thanks to a French Magazine,  Charlie Hebdo , which decided to publish - clearly having in mind the wave of unrest ravaging several Muslim countries - caricatures mocking the Prophet.  In my opinion, the choice of words of a survey by The Guardian says it all:  "free speech or sheer folly?" . The first word that came to my mind was "irresponsible". One of the immediate consequences of the cartoon's publication has been the putting in place by the French Authorities of an strategy whereby security at their embassies and public buildings (not only consulates, but also schools and "instituts français", that had and will...

A ridiculous film (" Innocence of Muslims ") has sparked a heated reaction throughout most of the Muslim World, outrageously entailing the deaths of four people in Libya, other deaths in other countries, and dozens injured elsewhere, as María Sánchez Muñoz reported on her  note . This events are also fanning debates on various issues: is Al-Qaeda involved in some of these attacks? Is there an actual link to the "Arab Spring"? What should the U.S. (and particularly Mr Obama, completely immersed in its campaign and an easy target for the Republicans) do? What should the leaders of these countries (all eyes on Mr Morsi, again) do? Are we bound to face similar issues every few years (remember the  Danish cartoonist´s controversy ? At least there was some quality in these drawings!) or is there a rational way out? It all started in Cairo, where  the grand mufti of Egypt spoke out  last Sunday  against a film that he condemned as "offensive to all Muslims"...