[iwar] [fc:Arab.Street.Contradicts.the.Silence.Of.Its.Leaders]

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2001-10-09 21:06:56


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Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 21:06:56 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: [iwar] [fc:Arab.Street.Contradicts.the.Silence.Of.Its.Leaders]
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Arab Street Contradicts the Silence Of Its Leaders
By Karl Vick and Howard Schneider
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28564-2001Oct8.html

CAIRO, Oct.  8 -- In the open-air shops where residents of this crowded
capital gather after dark to draw deeply on water pipes and sip sweet
tea, many people speak with almost a single voice about the U.S.-British
airstrikes on Afghanistan. 

They talk of saddened disapproval at the military operations, quiet
admiration for Osama bin Laden as a protector of Islam and, most of all,
profound identification with the Palestinians they see under attack
constantly on their television screens. 

"I watched Osama bin Laden's speech," said Omar Bahy, 23, referring to
the videotape that aired Sunday on the al-Jazeera satellite TV news
channel.  "I have no comment except, well, Islam doesn't tell you to go
out and kill people, of course.  But Palestinians are living in constant
terror every day."

In Cairo and other parts of the world served by Arabic-language
satellite channels, the stunning events in America a month ago have not
overshadowed the images of Palestinian corpses accumulated over the last
year and more from the West Bank. 

"Because this attack was made one time in New York and one time in
Washington," said Mazem Mohamed, a computer engineer here in Cairo. 
"But in Palestine, it's going on every day."

In Saudi Arabia, Charles Ayyoub, a Lebanese Christian, wrote in the
Ad-Diyar newspaper: "It is a shame that bin Laden had to go to a remote
cave in Afghanistan to declare the right of the Arabs in Palestine.  . 
.  .  Every man of honor on Earth should repeat that the United States
and the whole world will not be comfortable as long as there are
[Palestinians] living in tin huts in shantytowns."

In many countries in the region, however, governments have been as
reticent as their people have been outspoken.  Particularly in those
countries regarded as U.S.  allies, such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia,
little has been said officially about the events that have so captivated
the populace. 

As the attacks on Afghanistan entered a second night, Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak still had not issued an official statement about a bombing
campaign directed in part at terrorists and organizations with roots in
Egypt. 

In a speech tonight at the American University in Cairo, Egyptian
Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher hardly remarked on the situation in Central
Asia except to say Egypt believed the United States "could make a good
case" against bin Laden and that it hoped military action was precisely
targeted. 

Saudi Arabia has also kept silent, and the other oil monarchies of the
Persian Gulf region have largely followed the same course.  Bahrain, for
example, said it "reiterates its support to the international
community's move to fight terrorist elements based on its firm stand
against all forms of terrorism" -- but did not outline its position on
the U.S.  strikes or its country's role as host of the U.S.  5th Fleet. 

Although Arab states are playing significant behind-the-scenes roles in
sharing intelligence and quietly supporting Western military efforts,
the lack of reaction so far by moderate Arab leaders has left Washington
without any vocal Arab "cover" for an action portrayed by bin Laden as a
war against Islam. 

"It'd be nice if some leaders came out and said that the idea the U.S. 
is targeting Islam is absurd," said a regional diplomat. 

As a result, while the world's remaining superpower trains its guns on
Afghanistan and its Arab allies remain mute, people in the streets of
Arab cities are finding a new underdog with which to identify. 

In this morning's edition, the Arabic-language daily Al-Wafd in Cairo
proclaimed, "The Afghan people are the fuel for the war between the U.S. 
and bin Laden."

"It's an unjust war, an unequal war," said Mohammed Madbouly, 43, at a
late-night fruit stand near downtown Cairo. 

The refrain was echoed across the city -- even on cell phones that
received this message several times today: "Muslims pray tomorrow and
ask Allah to help your brothers in Afghanistan.  Please forward this
message to all Muslims you know.  God is great."

When asked about bin Laden himself, Cairo residents bobbed between
defiance and admiration, sometimes at the apparent expense of logic. 

"I admire bin Laden because this is a man defending himself against
something he didn't do," said Mohamed Ahmed, a young driver, who moments
later asked: "Why aren't they looking for the people inside the United
States who helped bin Laden carry out this operation?"

Said a young woman sharing a fruit juice with two girlfriends and an
off-duty police officer, none of whom would give their names: "Well,
okay, he praised the acts that took place in New York.  So did half the
population here.  Does that mean we all did it?

"Of course we're upset that so many died in New York," she quickly
added.  "But at the same time, we're in awe of what happened."

Said Bassem Mokhtar, 23: "I've heard bin Laden and I try to keep up with
him.  What he's saying we've been seeing on TV for years now: The
killing of the Palestinians, we know this is all true."

&lt;emSchneider reported from Jiddah, Saudi Arabia.&lt;/em

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