While Iraq is under US-UK occupation,Other Arab states watch in silence [Archives:2003/631/Reportage]
April 14 2003
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Just before the big guns were silenced and the anarchy set in, the YT took a random sampling of Yemeni notables, on their opinion vis avis the War on Iraq:
Dr. And-Al'aziz Al-Makaleh, the Chairman of the Yemen Research & Studies Center.
A distinction between the people's stance and that of the Arab rulers should be drawn. The stance of the people is clear and the practical and moral support with the Iraqi is unique. We see them boldly encounter the US-led invasion. There are a number of the Arab rulers who have never showed a sense of what it means to be a real Arab. I don't want to mention the names here. Every Arab citizen knows better than me in this regard. He follows up day and night and predicts what is going to happen in the near future. As for Yemen, it has positively reacted to the Iraqi crisis. But the only mistake that one's feel regrets is what took place during the Friday Prayers when anti-war marchers staged a demonstration rejecting the US-UK-led war against Iraq three weeks ago. The unfortunate paradoxical matter was when one sees blood spelt in a city during a protest against war and violence. The Arab citizens have expressed their resentment and voiced their disapproval against the US-UK-led aggression against Iraq.
The stance of the Arab rulers differs from one Arab state to another.
But the majority of the Arab masses throughout the Arab World have unified popular sentiments. These masses have strongly condemned the US-UK-led war against Iraq. The natural expected feeling was that the Arab public hoped that their leaders were going to be the forerunners to resist the aggression.
The Anglo-American-led unrelenting war has provoked the feelings of the Arab citizens. The victory will be destined for the brave and patient people in Iraq.
Adeeb Al-Khamesi, Vice Director of Services Administration at the Supreme Elections and Referendum
The unexpected resistance of the Iraqis is a positive sign against that crusade they are being assaulted with. The resistance revealed to a certain extent what American military power is. That is a very significant point, because the US weakness became apparent. The rallying of the people with the Iraqi leadership against the invaders is similar to that of dealing a serious blow against the US.
Abduh Mansour Asomomi, Technical Border Office
The US aggressors have deeply penetrated to the heart of the Arab nations. They follow the divide and rule policy. Our scared lands have been devastated by the war. What compounds the predicament is that we are not able to do anything. The support of our brothers in Iraq is the only duty that has to be fulfilled. It is shameful for the Arab and Islamic nation to see the people of Iraq slaughtered and never get affected by what's going on there. That dirty aggressive war has disclosed the US plans to take control of the Arab oil wealth starting from Iraq and to take advantage of the weakness of the remaining Arab states.
Khaled Al-Sawani,
I strongly hail the positive stance of the Arab citizens. But I feel more pity than angry at the Arab leaders tying their hands and capitulating to the No # 1 enemy, the US and the UK. The Arab leaders just stood and remained regretful, disappointed, and afraid.
Sadek Abdullah Ghaleb, Social Affairs Administration Manager at the Cabinet
The Arabs' stance was characterized by opposition and denouncement of the war. They Arab citizens expressed their strong desire to support their brothers in Iraq. But the rulers (May God not forgive them) have gagged their mouths and ordered their forces to use force against the protesting people, who only wish to express their opinion and their desire to support their brothers in Iraq. The official position towards the Iraqi issue was disappointing. The Arab leaders are impatiently waiting for the war to end, in order to congratulate the US in its so-called resounding victory.
Secret information and intelligence was provided, oil prices were reduced, and military facilities were secretly offered by some Arab leaders. Our stance as Arabs is shameful and we will all regret our position, sooner or later, except the Syrians, who truly took a bold nationalistic stance.
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[archive-e:631-v:13-y:2003-d:2003-04-14-p:report]
