Summary

“Boxing Rings: Al-Jazeera’s Talk Shows” opens with the description of a particular episode of “The Opposite Direction,” a controversial talk show on Al-Jazeera which is hosted by Faisal Al-Kasim. The two-hour weekly show always centres around two guests “from diametrically opposed sides on a variety of issues” (92) who are asked exhaustive and pointed questions by Al-Kasim, challenging their views. In this episode, Christopher Ross, former U.S. ambassador to Syria, and Ibrahim Alloush, an Arab scholar in mass-communications, discuss the recent bombing of Al-Jazeera’s headquarters in Kabul on November 20th, 2001.

Ross is fluent in Arabic, prompting the authors to mention that many observers believe his fluency is an asset and key to countering middle-class Arabs’ anti-American views during the American bombing campaign in Afghanistan. His fluency is a “secret weapon” (93). Alloush puts forth allegations about American animosity...