June 23, 1998
IRAQ: 'LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL' ON SANCTIONS REGIME?
News today that Iraq had put deadly VX nerve gas into missile warheads before the 1991 Persian Gulf War--contradicting Baghdad's claim that it is not concealing weapons of mass destruction--came too late for editorial reaction for this report. But prior to this development, Arab editorial comment was considerably upbeat concerning reports that Chief UN weapons inspector Richard Butler and Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz were near agreement on a two-month "road map" for Iraq's compliance with UN weapons inspections. Judging this "a golden opportunity" to put an end to the "unjust" sanctions against Baghdad, Amman's independent, mass-appeal Al-Arab Al-Yawm declared, "The ball is now in the court of the Arab countries, which have been crying tears of distress over the suffering of the Iraqi children. These countries are expected to adopt practical measures to put an end to the blockade, like rescheduling flights between Baghdad and Arab capitals and opening borders with Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia." The themes for this report highlighting Arab media opinion were drawn from commentary from Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
BALL IN WHOSE COURT?--While others blamed the U.S. for Iraq's humanitarian plight and decried U.S. "double standards" in curbing nuclear proliferation, Saudi and Qatari pundits took a different approach--placing the onus on Iraq to show that it is ready to join the world community. London-based pan-Arab Al Hayat said that Iraq must take the initiative, assume a positive role in introducing domestic political reform and provide regional leadership to save its people. Doha's semi-independent Peninsula judged that "in the final analysis, it is important that Iraq redeem its honor and become an equal player" among nations. Nevertheless, analysts in Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain reiterated longstanding Arab grievances. They argued that sanctions on Baghdad are no longer justifiable after seven years of perceived fruitless inspections, and in light of Pakistan and India's declared ownership of nuclear weapons. Cairo's pro-government Al-Ahram called U.S. actions in the Middle East "anti-Arab" and charged that Ambassador Butler's mission "is more political than technical." A Jordanian paper held that the U.S. is to blame for the suffering of Iraqi civilians and that the sanctions are an expression of the will of the U.S.--and also Britain--and not that of the international community. "If Washington wants to clear itself of the charge of mass extermination, it should put an end to the unjust siege against Iraq and it should turn a new page with Saddam Hussein," it said.
ARABS MUST TAKE A 'CLEAR' STAND--Arab governments were admonished to take "a clear political stand" and to "develop clear guidelines" to make removal of the sanctions by October 1998 "a real deadline." One Jordanian editorialist called on Jordan, in particular, to take the lead on lifting the sanctions regime. Manama's semiofficial Akhbar Al-Khalij said that Arabs should take a cue from the recent Organization of African Unity summit, which expressed solidarity with Libya by declaring that it would no longer observe the boycott against Tripoli. "Why don't Arab countries do the same in regard to Iraq and Libya?" it asked.
This survey is based on 20 reports from 5 countries, June 9-21.
EDITOR: Gail Hamer Burke
EGYPT: "U.S. Exerting Enormous Pressure On UNSC"
Pro-government daily Al Ahram held (6/21): "Butler retracted his statements on the possibility of lifting the sanctions on Iraq. He even shed doubt on Iraq's cooperation with the inspection team. These statements postpone lifting the sanctions indefinitely. The United States seems to be exerting enormous pressure on the UNSC and its inspection team in order to prevent Iraq from escaping the blockade a little. This may help American policy objectives in the short run, but it in fact destroys these objectives in the long term."
"Is Saddam's Rule Based On Cunning Or Support From The West?"
Farahat Hossam Eldin, contributor to pro-government Al Ahram, held (6/16): "If Saddam is emerging victoriously from every crisis that has threatened his rule, the question is, does Saddam have this cunningness which keeps him in control, or is he supported by foreign powers? The answer is both; so that the Arab world would always be backward."
"Butler Preparing To Close His Iraqi File"
Mona Yassin wrote in Islamist-leaning opposition Al Shaab (6/12), "Butler admitted that the delay in ending the UNSCOM mission in Iraq is not because of Iraq's failure to cooperate. He said it is because the inspectors can 'never' be certain of the facts about Iraq's armament.... He prepared a list of demands to Iraq to close his file.... But Iraq is not encouraged to trust butler's statements, since it believes he is an agent for the American wish to maintain the sanctions. The problem is that lifting the sanctions is conditional on Butler and Americans, and the objection of the other UNSC members does not have an actual impact."
"Washington And Tel Aviv's Strategic Alliance"
Ihsan Bakr, columnist for pro-government daily Al Ahram, held (6/14): "This year may witness the lifting of the sanctions on Iraq.... This may be an American choice despite all the signs of enmity between the American administration and the Iraqi regime.... Butler will arrive in Baghdad to discuss the measures to be taken by Iraq for lifting the sanctions.... The issue is in Baghdad's hand if it expresses some flexibility and rationality.... The issue is also in the United States' hands because it wants to act like the world cop and talks about implementation of UNSC resolutions and international legitimacy.... But all the U.S. acts in the Arab region are anti-Arab because they arise from a strategic alliance between Washington and Tel Aviv.... Arabs should stand by Iraq, not look for bilateral relations with superpowers."
"Butler's Mission Is More Political Than Technical"
According to pro-government daily Al Akhbar (6/15): "Butler is no longer worthy to conduct his mission. This is Iraq's view, supported by Russia and China. His mission has become more political than technical. [We have had] enough of his statements on Iraq's weapons threatening Israel. His delay in ending his mission has become suspicious too. But Iraq made stupid statements recently about Iraqi-Kuwaiti borders which has given its enemies the pretext to attack it and refuse to lift the sanctions. Why should Iraq make such statements when they can only harm the Iraqi people!?"
"Too Late To Free Middle East From Nuclear Arms"
Naguib Mahfouz commented in pro-government daily Al Ahram (6/18): "Some thought that the new world order will curb armament in the world, but we are approaching the era of the nuclear race. What happened in India and Pakistan is salient proof. Any country can possess these arms.... It is, thus, too late to call for freeing a certain region from nuclear arms. What we should look for is not to stop the proliferation of these weapons, but to guarantee that they will
not be used."
JORDAN: "No More Justification For Sanctions, Not Even By U.S. Standards"
Managing Editor Saleh Qallab opined in independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (6/16): "There is no justification to continue imposing sanctions on Iraq, not even from the American viewpoint. The seven-year-old inspections have found nothing and it is now certain that Iraq owns nothing of the weapons of mass destruction, and even if Iraq owns a few missiles, they are surely fit only for storage and museums.... The idea of removing Saddam Hussein from power has died, the Iraqi opposition has proved its uselessness beyond the shadow of doubt, and the idea of Iraq's ownership of weapons of mass destruction is actually laughable. Therefore, retaining sanctions against Iraq simply means revenge against the Iraqi people.... If Washington wants to clear itself of the charge of mass extermination, it should put an end to the unjust siege against Iraq and it should flip a new page with Saddam Hussein."
"When Normalization Is Harmful"
Chief Editor Taher Udwan penned this in independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (6/16): "We in Jordan are in need of clear guidelines for our economic plan and for dealings with neighborhood economies. In other words, we need a clear policy to stop most of the small business projects and economic cooperation with Israel for various reasons, but particularly not to be subsidiary to the Israeli economy.... With the ongoing international and regional relaxation over Iraq and the talk about lifting the sanctions, Jordan's trade and economic relations with Iraq should be restored and we should start focusing on the Iraqi market.... It is not true that Jordan is spearheading the normalization process with Israel and it is not true that the Jordanian people and their trade institutions are tools for the Israeli economy. There are some exceptions but they are not significant when compared to the size of the Jordanian economy.... We should freeze economic relations with Israel, just like Netanyahu froze the peace process."
"The Crime Of The Century"
Lead columnist Fahd Fanek wrote on the back page of pro-government, influential Arabic daily Al-Ra'y (6/11): "The Security Council imposed sanctions on Iraq in 1990 and linked their termination on Iraq's withdrawal from Kuwait and the achievement of legitimacy. Both these conditions were fulfilled, but the United States managed to extend these sanctions until all mass destruction weapons are destroyed. When it became clear that Iraq has none of these weapons, the U.S. administration started talking about the need to implement all Security Council resolutions before sanctions are lifted. The fact is these sanctions do not represent the will of the international community. They are American sanctions imposed on Iraq against the will of the international community and their aim is to break Iraq to serve Israel's security as well as to fulfill America's desire for total control over Arab oil sources. The oil-for-food deal was nothing but a trick, under the pretext of seeing to the needs of the Iraqi people, to retain the sanctions against Iraq."
"The Government Is Too Occupied With Its Achievements"
Chief editor Taher Udwan commented in independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (6/18): "Clear and concrete measures have to be taken by the Arabs in order to make October '98 a real deadline for lifting the unjust sanctions on Iraq and to prevent the United States or the United Nations from reneging on their promise. Butler has made of the next couple of months a golden opportunity to put an end to the UNSCOM inspections in Iraq.... The ball is now in the court of the Arab countries, which have been crying tears of distress over the suffering of the Iraqi children. These countries are expected to adopt practical measures to put an end to the blockade, like rescheduling flights between Baghdad and Arab capitals and
opening borders with Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia. Jordan's economy was the most to suffer by the blockade on Iraq. However, the Jordanian government has shown more enthusiasm than any other Iraq-neighboring country to implement the Security Council resolutions."
"The Unjust Blockade On Iraq And Libya, Until When?
Daily columnist Mohammad Naji Al-Amayreh commented on the op-ed page of the independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (6/18): "No one can argue against the fact that the sanctions imposed on Iraq, Libya and Sudan by the hegemonic and arrogant international forces are unjust and that these sanctions have inflicted great damage to the Arab people in those countries.... We are sad to say that the implementation of the sanctions was mostly done by Arab countries. True, the sanctions were imposed by an American-British desire and supported by Europe and Russia under the pretext of Security Council resolutions. But the fact remains that we all contributed to these sanctions and have not sought hard to put an end to them."
"Sanctions Violate Human Rights"
The centrist, influential among the elite, English-language Jordan Times opined (6/10), "The addition of the moral voice of the Vatican to the chorus of other critics of the sanctions regime being on Iraq lends added support to the notion that punishing people for what their governments do is contrary to basic human rights.... The issue here is whether the UN Security Council has the authority to flout customary international law by adopting resolutions which run counter to several international norms. The council is duty-bound to respect the UN Charter, which in turn calls for observing international law, especially the Human Rights Declaration. The Council may not take a position or endorse measures that violate international law. The minute the resolutions of the Council go beyond the limits of the law, they become illegal and therefore not binding on states. The International Court of Justice can extend a helping hand in resolving this controversy by ruling on the legality of the sanctions applied on Iraq as well as Cuba, Sudan and Libya."
"The Sanctions And Humanitarian Aid"
Chief editor Taher Udwan commented in independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (6/9): "UNSCOM's recent report to the Security Council shows two things. The first is that the retaining of sanctions on Iraq is a U.S.-British decision and has nothing to do with the international community. In fact, UNSCOM's Richard Butler represents Washington and London and not the UN Security Council. The second is the absurdity of retaining those sanctions on the basis that Iraq may or may not have mass destruction weapons, particularly in light of India and Pakistan's nuclear explosions and the widespread ownership of such weapons in South Asia and Israel.... Under the circumstances, Iraq's decision to reject humanitarian aid was the only response that Iraq was capable of to voice its protest. Iraq is right, because the Arab countries' competition to send assistance to Baghdad marks an abandonment of their responsibility to work towards lifting the sanctions.... What the Iraqis really need is an Arab decision that puts an end to the sanctions. This is the only way to close the file of the Gulf crisis once and for all."
QATAR: "Warranted Misgivings"
According to semi-independent, English-language Peninsula (6/16): "There has
been a remarkable turnaround in the attitude of UNSCOM Chief Richard Butler towards Iraq. The new approach--best reflected in the assertion that 'the light at the end of the tunnel today is more visible than anytime'--begs several questions, including the obvious one about what has caused the sudden change of tack.... Little is known about the two-month-long road map that
has been outlined to Iraq, and any misgivings about whether or not there is light at the end of the tunnel would be warranted. Both sides have played the cat-and-mouse game for far too long, and the discord over the oil-for-food deal is a good indication of where the U.S. and Britain are headed. Iraq is right in pointing out that the text of the Security Council resolution does not reflect realities on the ground and the fact that an end to the sanctions are around the corner. In the final analysis, it is important that Iraq redeem its honor and become and equal player in the international community."
BAHRAIN: "Butler's Games"
Semiofficial Al-Ayam ran this comment by Omran Salman (6/9): "The truth is that Richard Butler's games and maneuvers seek only one thing--prolongation of the unjust blockade against Iraq. This has been clear since the first month of his appointment. It does not matter to him whether he lies or speaks nonsense. All this has become less important to him. What is important is to remain in his position and continue the mission he has been asked to do--continue the punishment of Iraq."
"End The Blockade"
Semiofficial Al-Ayam published this comment (6/9) by Radhi Al-Moosawi: "What is needed is not sending humanitarian aid (to Iraq) but a clear political stand ending the blockade, even if only partially, by the Arabs alone. What is needed is a clear position that cannot be misinterpreted and which can bury the statements by those who want to send the border agreements (between Iraq and Kuwait) to hell and invite more foreign forces to deplete the resources of the region."
"Arabs Should Follow OAU Example And End Blockade Against Iraq, Libya"
Semiofficial Akhbar Al-Khalij had this by Abdulla Al-Ayyoubi (6/17): "It is truly shameful that Arab governments have allowed others to take the lead in defending the rights of the Libyan and Iraqi peoples, especially as Libya and Iraq have done everything they were asked to do...but it seems that that was not enough, as the real goals (of the sanctions) have not been made public. After realizing that the Americans and the British have gone too far in harming the Libyan people, the African countries decided to fire the first salvo against the criminal blockade. So why don't Arab countries do the same in regard to Iraq and Libya? The breaking of the unjust blockade should begin with an Arab bullet."
"Whoever Wants To Help Iraq Should Violate The Blockade"
Semiofficial Al-Ayam had this comment (6/13) by Ahmed Kamal: "Iraq has been awaiting the dawn for a long time...but it has not come.... In the darkness of that long night...the small amounts of aid they receive from their brothers and charity organizations was not sufficient to disperse the darkness.... Finally, after being plunged into frustration and despair, the lofty people of Iraq stood up and said: No to alms, no to aid, and no to parcels. Whoever wants to help Iraq should violate the unjust blockade, which Iraq has been suffering under for eight years, and light a candle that will disperse the darkness of Iraq's long nights."
SAUDI ARABIA: Iraq Must Assert Itself In A Positive Role"
According to London-based, pan-Arab Al-Hayat's editorial (6/17): "Firstly, Iraq has to understand that the UNSC resolutions are not legal resolutions but rather political resolutions. Secondly, Iraq has to introduce real domestic reforms such as political
pluralism...and to play a positive regional role. It is not necessary for Iraq to deal with Israel since Benjamin Netanyahu's government does not want to deal with anyone, but, rather to deal
positively with the region's problems, such as the Arab-Israeli conflict.... The least we can say about Butler is that he is an ugly person, and is carrying out an American strategy which has not yet decided whether it is better to return Iraq to the oil markets or not. In the absence of an American administration which is unable to tell Iraq what it specifically and frankly wants, and incapable of opening a dialogue with it, we expect Baghdad to take the initiative...in order to save the Iraqi people."
"Muslims Under A Nuclear Siege"
Conservative Al-Riyadh carried this editorial (6/20): "The ugliest face of the United States is its public threat to Pakistan...to make the punishment (if Pakistan conducts a nuclear test) a lesson for others.... This confirms the blunt reality that no Islamic state will be permitted to obtain (nuclear) weapons.... The American role in these events has been pragmatic, and true to the strategy which Israel designed for it towards the Islamic world.... Israel, India and perhaps Turkey and others will be the centers of power against the Arab and Islamic world in any upcoming confrontation. We must understand this reality. The Islamic world should not believe any guarantees that the United States or Europe offer to protect our security. Muslims must support Pakistan, because it possesses the potential to develop into the first deterrent Islamic power."
For more information, please contact:
U.S. Information Agency
Office of Public Liaison
Telephone: (202) 619-4355
6/23/98
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