Saturday, September 26, 2009

Saudi University of Wahhabi Science and Technology

The Arabic press is pathetically covering the opening of the King `Abdullah University for Science and Technology. They all talk about how this was the vision of the King: I bet you that this King (who could not read the speech that was given to him for the opening ceremony of the university) would not be able to defense "science" or "technology". Even Al-Akhbar--to my shame--had a favorable article, and As-Safir had a most enthusiastic propaganda article. You can't praise a university that has not opened its door. And the mixing of the sexes is meaningless: this is like opening a university in Nazi Germany where Jews are allowed to study. And I have heard from some people who were invited to teach: the university has failed in attracting those who were supposed to fill its academic posts. Those who were approached from MIT were most unimpressed. I would not be surprised if they recruit Al-Azhar professor, Zaghlul An-Najjar: a popular quack who finds scientific miracles in the Qur'an.