Samson, or Trump, Destroyed the Temple on his Head
January 11, 2021, 11:47 am

Samson, or Trump, Destroyed the Temple on his Head

Dalia Ziada

In my relatively short time on this Earth, I have witnessed major events that had an impact, of varying degrees, on my life. To list a few: The Gulf War (1990/1991), September 11 attacks in New York (2001), the fall of Saddam Hussein and the American invasion of Iraq (2003), the Arab Spring (2010/2011), the quick rise and fall of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt (2012/2013), and the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021).

Yet, the unthinkable, for me, is watching the plebeians storming into the Capitol Hill building, in the capital of democracy Washington, D.C., after the President of the United States, shamelessly, mobilized them in a rally to protest election results, because he refuses to peacefully hand over power to his elected successor. I am one of the millions, around the world, who envy the American people for being born under a democratic system that allows them to peacefully select or change their representatives in power. It was heartbreaking to watch President Trump setting democracy on fire, and risking the national security of his own country, for selfish reasons.

On the morning of Wednesday, 6th of January, U.S. President Trump made a long speech, wherein he incited his supporters to organize in a rally at Pennsylvania Avenue moving towards the Capitol Hill building to stop the Congress from counting the votes that would confirm his loss of the presidential elections. "You don't concede when there's theft involved. Our country has had enough and we will not take it anymore… we fight. We fight like hell and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore;" that is how Trump spoke to the crowds, who were burning with the anger he had been stocking in their hearts since the announcement of Joe Biden’s victory of the presidential elections, in November.

Less than an hour later, people, from all over the world, were mesmerized in front of their TV screens watching democracy being raped by Trump supporters at the Capitol Hill. After the killing of four people, deployment of The National Guard forces, multiple resignations by top presidential aides, and confirmation by Congress on Biden’s victory; Trump made another speech on Thursday, January 7th evening, declaring that he condemns violence and is willing to accept election results and hand over power. Unfortunately, that was too late.

On these days last year, after the successful termination of the notorious Iranian general Qassem Suliemani, Trump was seen by people, not only in America, but also in the Middle East, as a superman. Despite the tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic, the year 2020, the last year of Trump’s administration, marked unprecedented diplomatic triumphs in the Middle East. The most prominent of which are the Abraham accords between Israel and some Arab countries.

However, today, in Egypt, as well as many other countries in the Arab region, people are gloating over the horrid scene in D.C., with an overwhelming sense of dejavu. The storm into the Capitol Hill reminded them with famous scenes of the Arab Spring of random people storming into government and parliament buildings, in 2011. The public gloating, which I despise, is emerging from a conspiracy theory, adopted by many in the Arab Spring countries, claiming that the U.S. administration is the mastermind behind the the Arab Spring revolutions. Thus, for them, the U.S. is responsible for the fall of their states and the damaging consequences that followed, such as civil wars and the spread of terrorist organizations. Actually, a quick look at the leaked emails of Hillary Clinton and the recently published “A Promised Land” book by Barack Obama proves the opposite.

Unfortunately, all the positive achievements by the Trump administration, especially in the Middle East, will be forgotten. Trump will be only remembered as the American president, who, before leaving the office, attempted to destroy the pillars of democracy, that is supporting his own country. Just the same way Samson destroyed the pillars of the temple on his own head; while Trump was purposefully attempting to set democracy on fire, he committed a political suicide that he cannot reverse.

by: Dalia Ziada

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.