very scary

From MERMI
ALESCO: 100 Million Arabs Illiterate
Educationally Disadvantaged Females Suffer Most
The Tunisia-based Arab League’s Education, Culture, Science and Communication [(ALECSO), the Arab equivalent of UNESCO] warned of the danger of the high number of illiterate people in the Arab world, nearly 100 million.
"The statistical data on the realities of illiteracy in the Arab countries indicate that the number of illiterates in the age groups above 15 years is approximately 99.5 million", ALESCO said in a statement, adding that "the rate of illiteracy in the region reached 29.7%."
About 75 million of the total Arab illiterate population is between the ages 15 and 45, and the rates are higher among women, where nearly 46.5% of them suffer from illiteracy. ALECSO confirmed that the large number of illiterates in the Arab countries "reflects a profound structural gap that influences the development of the Arab community and results in an extremely dangerous political, social and economical outcome." The statement added that in spite of the many efforts that have been made, the illiteracy portfolio did not rise to the level of importance that it deserves in the Arab region, whose population numbers 335 million.
Since its founding in 1970, ALESCO had developed a future vision to combat illiteracy, including the "First Strategy for the Eradication of Illiteracy in the Arab Countries" in 1976, and the "Arab Fund for Combating Illiteracy and Adult Education" in 1980. ALECSO’s budget is nearly $19 million.

According to Al-Jazeera TV, Egypt has 17,000,000 illiterate people, and only 0.6% of people in the region are computer literate. The reason behind the high illiteracy rate was cited as the fact that, unlike in other developed countries, parents and guardians are not penalized in the Arab world for not sending their children to school.
Al-Zaman, Iraq, January 7, 2008; Al-Jazeera TV, January 8, 2008

ALESCO: 100 Million Arabs Illiterate
Educationally Disadvantaged Females Suffer Most
The Tunisia-based Arab League’s Education, Culture, Science and Communication [(ALECSO), the Arab equivalent of UNESCO] warned of the danger of the high number of illiterate people in the Arab world, nearly 100 million.
"The statistical data on the realities of illiteracy in the Arab countries indicate that the number of illiterates in the age groups above 15 years is approximately 99.5 million", ALESCO said in a statement, adding that "the rate of illiteracy in the region reached 29.7%."
About 75 million of the total Arab illiterate population is between the ages 15 and 45, and the rates are higher among women, where nearly 46.5% of them suffer from illiteracy. ALECSO confirmed that the large number of illiterates in the Arab countries "reflects a profound structural gap that influences the development of the Arab community and results in an extremely dangerous political, social and economical outcome." The statement added that in spite of the many efforts that have been made, the illiteracy portfolio did not rise to the level of importance that it deserves in the Arab region, whose population numbers 335 million.
Since its founding in 1970, ALESCO had developed a future vision to combat illiteracy, including the "First Strategy for the Eradication of Illiteracy in the Arab Countries" in 1976, and the "Arab Fund for Combating Illiteracy and Adult Education" in 1980. ALECSO’s budget is nearly $19 million.
According to Al-Jazeera TV, Egypt has 17,000,000 illiterate people, and only 0.6% of people in the region are computer literate. The reason behind the high illiteracy rate was cited as the fact that, unlike in other developed countries, parents and guardians are not penalized in the Arab world for not sending their children to school.
Al-Zaman, Iraq, January 7, 2008; Al-Jazeera TV, January 8, 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK here is the scary part at least to me they have 75 million young people that are dependent on others for their world view ie mullah and immams. Say even half of these are male that is 37.5 million rifle carriers. Just because you cannot read doesnt mean you cannot use and AK or an RPG and there would be enough engineers like muhammed atta that can handle the complicated stuff. That is could be a force to be reckoned with. Illiterate, angry young people with guns...