**Dr. Abdullah Turkmani**

What is unfolding before our eyes today is an inevitable political and cultural outcome of decades of marginalizing the Arab individual and living under systematic oppression and its horrors. It marks the end of the last bets of a generation of advocates for Arabism that has failed to achieve the long-desired renaissance through the military coup model, accompanied by crimes against society, the domination of a minority over a majority, militarization, prisons, the sanctification of the individual, the construction of pre-national identities, and the ruralization of urban centers.

Despite this, some speakers still imagine that they can change the realities of the age and the world with their words and rhetorical speeches in a world that recognizes only the light of truth, the strength of civilization, and productive work based on science and organization, as well as constitutional political freedoms that transcend any despotism and expose all corruption.

Therefore, no one should think that there is a decisive Arab moment requiring a high degree of honesty with oneself and clarity of vision, as we currently experience. It is imperative to diagnose the ailment and uncover the causes of this affliction before delving into the core of the problem and discussing solutions and how to emerge from it.

The rational critical approach we courageously adopt in all our writings and positions is what we believe will elevate the Arab link from an emotional advocacy level to a firm political foundation in Arab political thought. Anyone who believes the issue is confined to a specific ideological discourse is mistaken; all currents of the nation are concerned with shaping a contemporary Arab discourse that embodies the authenticity of our peoples, absorbs the totality of contemporary civilizational orientations, and anticipates the interests and goals of the peoples of the region. As we engage in scientific critique of the prevailing consciousness, we aspire to purify all that is regressive, linking it to universality, progress, and democracy, because this content constitutes the central point for our future.

There is no doubt that in an Arab world suffering from historical backwardness and living under the divorce between the ruling authorities and estranged Arab societies, it is extremely difficult for any researcher or writer to challenge the narratives and concepts that have entrenched over decades, especially after the Arab state, whatever its name, has become a façade for monopolizing and centralizing power.

The worst aspect of the current Arab reality is that within its accumulated negatives, it holds no genuine source of hope, even in the long term. The ongoing repercussions in more than one Arab country carry more risks and anxieties than they do clear momentum towards a better future. If we could survey the opinions of Arab peoples anywhere about their reality and their vision for the future, the response would be a mixture of criticism of the present and fear of the future.

Amid discussions about the necessity of change and deep transformations in the Arab world—socially, culturally, politically, and economically—we still notice that the Arab discourse is enveloped in rhetorical, ornamental language that does not offer tangible solutions nor deal with reality. It is a discourse that floats in a vast and stretchy space, failing to address specific issues according to visions rooted in the realities, problems, and aspirations of our peoples.

While development moves towards new horizons, presenting unprecedented visions, values, and challenges paving the way for a new universal reality that might overturn the prevailing trend of human civilization on earth so far, the Arab individual remains trapped in questions from the 19th century, repeating and revisiting them in a vicious cycle. During the period of the Renaissance, which began in the second half of the century and matured in the first half of the 20th century, Arabs aspired to advancement and to elevate their countries and societies to the level of contemporary civilization. However, at this stage, Arabs are "kidnapped" and besieged between rigid internal factors that prevent the healthy flow of blood in their societies and the direct international interventions that heavily impact current Arab developments according to their interests.

Yet, it is futile and absurd to continue lamenting the external powers with vested interests and to attempt to give them lessons in morality, as they are not charitable organizations that assist the oppressed. Ultimately, one must rely on oneself, after understanding the mechanisms of international dealings in this era.

In reality, one is perplexed when looking at the list of postponed historical debts confronting the Arabs, as mentioned by Dr. Mohammed Jaber Al-Ansari:
- The debt of religious reform and the exacerbation of the obstacles opposing its achievement through a regression into fundamentalist extremism.
- The debt of slow and frozen political reform, characterized by procrastination that comes and goes, except in a limited number of Arab countries.
- The difficulties in birthing civil society and its institutions under the weight of sect and tribe and their outdated traditions, as well as its violation by the tyranny of parties that have taken only the name of modernization; in reality, they are sects and tribes that have organized themselves politically and socially.
- The confusion between old and imported