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| Middle East | |
| TV Images Stir Anger, Shock and Warnings of Backlash | |
| 2003-04-10 | |
| As the cold reality of Baghdad's occupation by U.S. forces descended on the Arab world today, there was anger, shock and frustration, along with warnings of new battles ahead. "Please, America must hear our voices. The American media and people are in a state of euphoria right now, but they are not seeing it the way we are seeing it at all," said Diaa Rashwan, a political scientist at Cairo's Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies... Arab political scientist seems almost an oxymoron as the term "scientist" implies the application of logic. "...The Arab street™ is very frustrated, and to America, I repeat, I repeat, I repeat, the real war hasn't started yet. We have to be careful with such euphoria. It will only increase the feelings of anger in the Arab world. No Arabs want to welcome an occupying power..." But no Arabs have the balls, brains or organizational abilities to get rid of their own dictators, so we have a logical problem here. The Iraqis at least tried in 1991. "I can't believe what I am seeing. I am so depressed," said Bassem Zein, 36, owner of a cell phone shop in Beirut who was watching television at work. "It just frustrates me that they enter Baghdad without a fight. This is too much."
And the fact that you like Sammy more than the US exemplifies just what's wrong with the region. "...If the U.S. really wanted democracy, they would have taken out just about every Arab leader we have. This is very suspect. The U.S. just wants to protect Israel and wants the riches in the region..." It always comes back to the Joooz. Again, no logic here. ..."If the U.S. wants to prove that we Arabs are wrong about this being an occupation for oil and the protection of Israel, it should transfer the whole file to the U.N.," said Hassan Nasaa, chairman of the political science department at Cairo University. Because we all know just how competent the UN is. | |
| Posted by:JAB |
| #6 Is that and invitation,Hassan? |
| Posted by: raptor 2003-04-11 12:38:46 |
| #5 They were hoping for a nasty, drug-out war in the cheap seats, I think. The figures I saw were in the area of 1000 civs killed, 5000 wounded. Unknown how many were actually combatants, but I don't think that's a nit to pick right now. Let's assume the numbers are correct. Another 60's favorite comes to mind, from CSN&Y: Find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground. Mother Earth will cover you Lay your body down... |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-04-10 12:35:57 |
| #4 Rex: I was just about to click on the "Comment" button and say the same thing or close to it. |
| Posted by: Mike 2003-04-10 11:36:38 |
| #3 Watched the Arab dish last night a bit. Only Kuwaiti TV is happy about yesterday's scenes. BTW, let's NEVER forget their help. Other feelings (I mean those of the studio anchors and "experts") range from humiliation to wanting to find out who the perpetrators were. This means Syrian, Egyptian Nile TV, and various Lebanese and Gulf channels. Ranters, I'm sure you have read this morning's papers for the non-Iraqi Arab "experts" opinions. Boys and girls, it can all be summed up pretty simply. They wanted to see our people killed and grilled. I've never served in the military and I'm just amazed at the job the Coalition has done so far. Fredrick the Great, as quoted by George C. Patton/Scott said, "L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace" The Arab media/intelligencia and by extension govt' whiners like Diaa just don't have what it takes to make audacious changes unless the US military gets involved. Is that our fault? Isn't their attitude just sad? The whiners know it deep down, but rather than take corrective measures, they spout meaningless gems like the US "...isn't seeing it the way we are seeing it at all." No shit, Diaa. I spent four years teaching at a public university in Egypt, and I know this attitude SO well!! What have YOU, and your buddies EVER done, Diaa, to improve the situation? And what about our own media? Andrew Sullivan and Mark Steyn have been great in Fisking it. Thank God for blogs. Liberation and Le Monde whined and whined yesterday about how the US military "culture" was all about excessive force, e.g. there's a sniper on the roof and two Bradleys take him and some facade out. Why the hell damage the facade? Look at the Brits in Basra, they say, they took the town patiently, neighborhood by neighborhood probing. Yes, correct, French media. That was the strategy given the way the Iraqis fought. Baghdad was different and we probed, found gaping holes and l'audace took over. I'm sure the Brits would have done Baghdad the same way, and we would have done Basra their way pretty much had roles been reversed. Can you imagine if we had followed Liberation/Le Monde and taken our time in Baghdad, what these papers would have said then? Also saw Johnny Apple on Charlie Rose. What a tub of lisping lard!! I just wish Charlie had asked him a few tough questions re Fatty's prognostications on quagmire in Afghanistan and Iraq, but CR let him off the hook. I guess the kicker was when CR at the end told Johnny how glad he (CR) was to see Apple on the Grey Lady's front page again. HUH? CR also interviewed Hamza Khidir, former head of Iraq nuclear program (but just for 10 minutes, compared to Johnny's 20. Khidir is a stud, honest and without pretentions. We didn't have roses thrown at us upon crossing the border since Saddam's guys were in the crowds and citizens were so cowed. He's heading back home and I can only hope he's put in a high position in the new Iraqi govt. I could go on forever, but gotta teach, so here it is. George and Tony: Don't go wobbly. Remember Old Europe and non-Iraqi Middle Easterners would have been joyful at seeing our people's bodies strewn left and right. Remember yesterday's scenes. We can't let Iraqi people down, no way. Put REAL civilian pros in charge on the ground there. This is not a pork barrel project. Let UN/EU provide humanitarian aid/$, but strategic and long-range belong to those who risked everything. US/UK/Aussies/Poles/Spanish, etc. The Iraqis are glad we got rid of Saddam, so keep THEM in mind, and not political scientists from Egypt, who didn't give a F... about them before. |
| Posted by: Michael 2003-04-10 10:41:44 |
| #2 "...If the U.S. really wanted democracy, they would have taken out just about every Arab leader we have." Hey Ahmed, we're only 3 weeks into this, so take a number and get back in line. We'll get around to you soon enough. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2003-04-10 10:36:29 |
| #1 I am reminded of a little one hit wonder from the 60's, slightly revised: "We hate you more today than yesterday, but not half as much as tommorow..." |
| Posted by: Capsu78 2003-04-10 10:03:13 |