Maher Osseiran was born in Beirut in 1956.  He grew up at a time when Lebanon was evolving - then devolving into its civil war. From a very young age, Maher was an observer who needed plausible answers. His early analysis during the Lebanese civil war was discounted by his own parents as too gloomy and earned him a not too pleasant nickname. He was never happy when events proved his analysis correct but satisfied that some started listening and making the right decisions. To know more about Maher and his methodology, visit his website www.mydemocracy.net where he posts some of his articles while others can be found on counterpunch and The Lone Star Iconoclast.