Why We Think Zahawie Wrote This Fray Posting

Though no single factor is dispositive, the following leads us to believe that Zahawie is the author of this post:

1) The nation from which the post was submitted is consistent with Zahawie's likely whereabouts.

2) The author's decision to defend his taste in Wagnerian opera lends credence to its authenticity.

3) We cannot identify any obvious inconsistencies with our (admittedly limited) knowledge of Zahawie's biography.

4) Zahawie seems an unlikely subject for imposture.

5) The delay between the article's publication and this response is far larger than would be expected for an opportunist impostor.

6) The tone and content throughout the post would be difficult to fake—suggesting either that the author is who he claims to be or that he is an impostor of uncommon talent.

Identity on the Internet is a fluid affair, and we cannot say for certain that Zahawie is the author of the post. But, on balance, it strikes us as probable enough that the authorship is legitimate to justify publication. If the real Wissam al-Zahawie contacts us at to confirm or deny authorship, we will publish further details.