Second InstantEagle Award

The InstantEagle Award is a new feature for InstantReplay in 2005. It will be awarded to public figures who risk or sacrifice their careers by standing up for what is right.

The Syrian government's unemployment czar Tawfiq Ammash was sacked today after criticizing the government in an interview with the government's daily newspaper. He accused the government of underreporting unemployment statistics and essentially abandoning the unemployment commission he chairs. With unemployment high and rising - and without an unemployment czar - Syria is steady on the course of authoritarian, socialist government and stagnant economy.

Ammash is probably going to scoot out of Syria and find a decent job somewhere in Europe. Whether he's an effective public administrator I don't know - and his record is probably obscured to outside scrutiny by the Syrian government's trademark opacity. Furthermore, InstantReplay is giving him the benefit of the doubt on whether he should get the award. It's unclear if he was really standing up for truth, or just trying to get a parting shot in at political opponents. However, I think any attempt to present a non-party-line viewpoint in Syria is worthwhile, so he gets the award.

Here's to you, Tawfiq!